India batter keen to score “heaps of runs” and help an upcoming team flourish
Shashank Kishore26-Aug-2025India 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,” 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.”Related
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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, 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.”