Sir Vivian Richards and Carl Hooper have strongly refuted Brian Lara’s claims in his book. Lara has claimed in his book that Richards, during his captaincy, made Hooper “cry once a week”. The former West Indian cricket captains, in a joint statement, have called it “gross misrepresentations” and demanded an apology.
“Sir Vivian Richards and Mr. Carl Hooper are deeply disheartened by the gross misrepresentations made about them in Mr. Brian Lara’s recently released book. The allegations presented not only distort the reality of their relationship but also impugn their characters in an unjust and harmful manner,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the statement.
Lara wrote in Lara: The England Chronicles about Richards, sharing that the legendary cricket player made him cry every three weeks while Carl cried weekly. Richards’ intimidating tone could affect the weak, he added.
Lara says he wasn’t personally affected and welcomed it, understanding it came with being close to Richards. However, he noted Carl avoided Richards.
Lara stated that many players never admitted disliking or feeling intimidated by Viv Richards. Brian Lara mentions that he loves Viv Richards. He wrote that Viv had tried but failed to intimidate him.
However, Lara also mentions that he does not think Richards intended to intimidate anyone. He described Viv as having a strong and aggressive personality, not as a bully.
According to Lara, Richards inspired and supported his team, leaving a lasting impression. Lara added that Richards might have a soft side, but he is not generally a soft person. Richards is considered one of the greatest players ever to play the game.
What Carl Hopper said
Carl Hooper, who captained the West Indies in 22 Tests, said Richards had never caused him any “distress”. He stated that the claim Viv had been aggressive towards him and made him cry weekly is “categorically false”.
Hooper added that such descriptions wrongly portray Sir Vivian Richards as an emotional abuser, which is unfounded and hurtful to both individuals.
“We demand that Mr. Lara immediately issues a public retraction of these false claims and offer a sincere apology for the harm caused. It is crucial for the integrity of public discourse and their personal and professional lives that the truth is set right,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the joint statement.