Former India opener Aakash Chopra has extended his support to Hanuma Vihari amid the ongoing tussle between the player and the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA).

The bitter spat came to light after Vihari publicly said that he would never play for Andhra due to "mistreatment" by the state association.

In an explosive social media post, Hanuma Vihari claimed that ACA asked him to step down as captain after he shouted at a player on the field.

The said player turned out to be the son of a politician, who allegedly influenced Vihari’s sacking as the Andhra team captain.

Earlier this week, Vihari also shared a letter that was signed by his Andhra teammates, who requested ACA to continue with the India batter as the skipper of the side.

Subsequently, ACA alleged that the state team players were compelled to sign the 'letter of support' for Hanuma Vihari "under threat".

Sharing his views on this conflict, Aakash Chopra stood in solidarity with Hanuma Vihari.

“Mud-slinging is happening, the blame game is happening from both sides. From a players’ fraternity, you want to trust the player always. Hanuma Vihari is not just any player. He batted for Andhra with one hand when he had a fracture in his hand,” Chopra said while speaking on his YouTube channel.

“I have huge respect for him, whether it was the Sydney match where he played with a torn hamstring and put his career on the line, and then he batted one-handed for Andhra. I would want to actually believe Hanuma Vihari’s version,” he added.

The cricketer-turned-commentator also urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to intervene and resolve this matter.

Chopra said Vihari’s decision to part ways with Andhra is an indication of his strained relationship with the association and further stated that the player should be free to explore opportunities with other teams in the country as a seasoned professional.

Hanuma Vihari has represented India in 16 Tests so far, scoring 839 runs at an average of 33.56 with one hundred and five half-centuries.