While the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy starting off on 10 January is good news for domestic cricket in India, the Baroda team isn’t the happiest set of players. The national T20 tournament began on Sunday with multiple matches across the country.
A report in PTI stated that senior player Deepak Hooda has left the team’s camp and bio-secure bubble, accusing skipper Krunal Pandya of misbehaving and abusing him. The Baroda Cricket Association is understood to have sought a report from the manager. Baroda are placed in Elite Group C and are playing their matches in Vadodara along with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
"We are awaiting for the manager's report," BCA secretary Ajit Lele told PTI on Sunday while confirming that there will be no replacement for Hooda in the 22-member squad, as the players are staying in a bio-bubble.
Hooda, who has played 46 first-class matches, was miffed at the behaviour of Pandya, who has represented India, and sent an e-mail to the cricket body.
"At this moment, I am demoralised, depressed and under pressure. As from last some days, my team captain Mr Krunal Pandya is using abusing language to me in front of my teammates and also other state teams who have come for participation at Reliance Stadium Vadodara," Hooda wrote in the letter to BCA, PTI reported.
"Today I was practising in nets and doing my preparation for tomorrow's game with the permission of head coach Mr Prabhakar. Then Krunal came in nets (and) started misbehaving with me," alleged Hooda.
Pandya has not yet reacted to the complaint.
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