Krunal Pandya abusing & misbehaving with me: Deepak Hooda fires angry mail; BCA to probe

Baroda all-rounder Deepak Hooda reportedly quit the team ahead of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, alleging that he was "bullied" by the team captain, Krunal Pandya. Acting on the reports, the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has sought a report from the manager of its senior team, news agency PTI reported. The national T20 tournament began on Sunday with multiple matches across the country.

BCA official confirms Hooda's exit

"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. A senior BCA official also informed that Hooda has checked out of the team hotel.

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.

"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.

Baroda is placed in Elite Group C and is playing their matches in Vadodara along with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

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Krunal stars as Baroda kick-off campaign with a win

Meanwhile, Krunal Pandya's all-round show helped Baroda beat Uttarakhand by five runs in their opening game of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Vadodara on Sunday.

Put into bat, hosts Baroda first rode on Pandya's blazing 76 to post a competitive 168/7 on the board before the bowlers held their nerves to restrict Uttarakhand to 163/6 despite a fighting 77 by Dikshanshu Negi. Krunal also contributed with the ball to return with figures of 2/33.

For Uttarakhand, right-handed batsman Negi hammered nine boundaries and six in his 57-ball 77 run knock, while Kunal Chandela, who came in at number seven, stuck a 26-ball 48 but the two could not take their side home.

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