Indian batter Hanuma Vihari will play for Tripura in the 2025-26 domestic season after signing as one of their three professional players following a No Objection Certificate from the Andhra Cricket Association, his previous state.
“I was keen on other opportunities since I believe I’m good enough to play all three formats,” Vihari told ESPNcricinfo.
Andhra had decided to focus on youngsters in the white ball cricket which left Vihari out of both T20s and Vijay Hazare Trophy. This pushed him to look for a team that would give him chances in all three formats, deciding on Tripura.
Vihari’s last year with Andhra was not smooth especially after the 2023-24 Ranji season where he stepped down from captaincy stating it as a “political interference.” He admitted that he felt “humiliated and embarrassed” by how some of the association members treated him. The India batter even thought of moving to Madhya Pradesh but eventually stayed back. However, he felt this was the right moment to leave, opting to play for Tripura in the 2025-26 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,” he said.
Though Vihari hasn’t been promised captaincy, he is still looking forward to contributing through his experience to the team. “As a senior player, I’ll contribute whatever the team expects of me, from a leadership standpoint whether I’m captain or not,” Vihari said.
Vihari concluded by saying that his main focus is contributing to the team with his experience and with runs, while adding that he simply wants to enjoy the game for now. “My challenge is to take the team through. More than anything, I just want to enjoy my cricket and score lots of runs,” noted Vihari.
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