Hanuma Vihari, the former India, Andhra, and Hyderabad batter, has decided to switch states. Ahead of the upcoming domestic season, the 31-year-old Hanuma Vihari has sought an NOC from the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA). The buzz is that he could move to Tripura.
A Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) official has confirmed that the association has finalised Hanuma Vihari as their professional for the season and in all likelihood, he will be the captain of the state side too. Tripura will be in the Elite division across formats – both in red ball and white ball.
Hanuma Vihari has had a domestic career of 84 matches starting from the 2011/12 season with 44 matches for Andhra (3013 runs at an average of 44.97 with four centuries and 20 half centuries). He moved to Andhra in the 2016/17 season before going back to Hyderabad only to return to Andhra for the last two seasons.
Hanuma Vihari also captained Andhra before being controversially removed from the post in 2024 following political interference. For Hyderabad, he featured in 40 matches, scoring 3,155 runs at an average of 57.38, with 10 centuries and 12 half-centuries. For Andhra, Hanuma Vihari was regarded as a warrior – once even batting with a fractured left wrist in a quarterfinal against Madhya Pradesh, an effort that drew all-round praise from the opposition camp in Indore.
Hanuma Vihari was most recently in action in the just-concluded Andhra Premier League, where he captained runner-up Amaravati Royals. He scored 299 runs in seven matches and was named the Player of the Tournament.The 31-year-old, who has represented India in 16 Tests between 2018 and 2022, has so far played 84 domestic matches (44 for Andhra and 40 with Hyderabad), scoring 6168 runs with 14 centuries and 32 half centuries.
Speaking on his feelings of leaving Andhra Pradesh and joining Tripura, Hanuma Vihari expressed his desire to perform well and represent Indian National Team one more time.
Hanuma Vihari desires to represent India in all format after signing for Tripura for 2025-26 domestic season
India batter Hanuma Vihari has signed with Tripura as one of their three professionals ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season. Vihari, who finished as Player of the Tournament at the recently concluded Andhra Premier League, has been granted a no-objection certificate (NOC) by the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA).
ESPNcricinfo understands Vihari’s contract is for a season to begin with, and is extendable by mutual consent. It’s a decision, he says, that stemmed from a desire to play all formats, something Andhra couldn’t promise him.
“I was keen on other opportunities since I believe I’m good enough to play all three formats,” Hanuma Vihari told ESPNcricinfo.
“Andhra made it clear they were looking at youngsters for the T20 format. That was why I decided it didn’t make sense playing even the 50-over format, so I sat out of the Vijay Hazare Trophy as well. I also wanted to play in a new environment.”
Hanuma Vihari’s signing marks closure to a slightly tumultuous past few years with Andhra. A full-blown public spat after their 2023-24 Ranji campaign had left him “humiliated and embarrassed” at the treatment meted out to him by certain factions within the ACA. At the time, Vihari alleged “political interference” as one of the reasons for him stepping down as captain at the start of that season.
Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Hanuma Vihari was in talks to move to Madhya Pradesh (for a second year in a row) but was talked out of it by Nara Lokesh, general secretary of Andhra’s ruling party, TDP. Vihari’s u-turn had left the MPCA upset.
“For the last two seasons, I’d been talking of going out [he’d been in talks with Madhya Pradesh], but I stayed back,” Vihari said of the previous season.
“I felt given the circumstances around me, and also where my own cricket is at, this was the best time to sign with an upcoming team. This year they approached me first, and I felt it’ll be a challenge worth taking up.”
Hanuma Vihari hasn’t been guaranteed leadership just yet, but he’s likely to be a key member of the leadership group
“As a senior player, I’ll contribute whatever the team expects of me, from a leadership standpoint whether I’m captain or not,” he said.
“They’ve got some decent players. I wanted to play in a team where I can build [the squad], and be part of a setup that is hungry to challenge the bigger teams.”
It’s been three years since Hanuma Vihari played a Test, but he believes he’s still got the hunger to score runs “by the truckloads” without wanting to think of the prospect of a comeback.
“My challenge is to take the team through. After 14-15 years of first-class cricket, I’ve certainly got that experience that I want to pass on. But I’m not thinking of a comeback just yet. It’s too far away. I want to score runs, important runs and then take the team through. More than anything, I just want to enjoy my cricket and score lots of runs.” he concluded.
The 31-year-old Hanuma Vihari, who has represented India in 16 Tests between 2018 and 2022, has so far played 84 domestic matches (44 for Andhra and 40 with Hyderabad), scoring 6168 runs with 14 centuries and 32 half centuries. As he moves states in search of new direction, Hanuma Vihari wants to keep things simple and not think of a comeback just yet, like Karun Nair achieved after barging the door down in domestic cricket.
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