Veteran India batter Hanuma Vihari has signed with Tripura ahead of the 2025-26 domestic season, bringing the curtains down on a turbulent stint with Andhra. The 31-year-old has secured a no-objection certificate from the Andhra Cricket Association and will join Tripura, marking a fresh chapter in his domestic career.
Vihari, who was named Player of the Tournament in the recently concluded Andhra Premier League, confirmed that the move was motivated by his desire to remain active across all three formats, something Andhra was no longer offering him.
"I was keen on other opportunities since I believe I'm good enough to play all three formats. 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,” Vihari told ESPNcricinfo.
This decision comes after a rocky relationship with the ACA, which peaked with a public fallout following the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy. Vihari stepped down from captaincy amid allegations of internal politics and interference, an episode he described as “humiliating.”
Vihari’s turbulent Andhra stint and Tripura challenge
Interestingly, this isn’t Vihari’s first attempt at switching teams. He had considered a move to Madhya Pradesh for two seasons in a row but was reportedly persuaded to stay by political figure Nara Lokesh, a senior leader in Andhra’s ruling party. That decision didn’t sit well with the MPCA and ultimately delayed Vihari’s relocation. Now, as he joins a relatively low-profile Tripura side, Vihari sees opportunity rather than compromise.
“This year they approached me first, and I felt it'll be a challenge worth taking up. As a senior player, I'll contribute whatever the team expects of me, from a leadership standpoint, whether I'm captain or not. 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,” he added.
Vihari also spoke about the challenge of playing in such a low-profile team. However, his goal is to share the experience and also prove his mettle and take the team forward.
“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 said.