Hanuma Vihari to stay with Andhra for upcoming Ranji Trophy

The skipper of South Zone, Hanuma Vihari, who recently lifted the Duleep Trophy, will stay with Andhra for the next Ranji season. Vihari is looking to make a comeback with Team India, so it was reported that he was willing to move to Madhya Pradesh (MP) for the upcoming Ranji Trophy season. Contrary to the reports, the 29-year-old will be leading the Andhra side in the upcoming season. 

It is pertinent to mention that the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) officially confirmed this development, stating that the star Indian batter will continue with the Andhra side and will also be leading the team. According to Cricbuzz, the right-handed batter has changed his decision to move to another side for the next Ranji Trophy season. 

“Although he expressed interest in moving, the NOC (No Objection Certificate) was not granted. Nevertheless, we are pleased that he has chosen to remain with us," said ACA CEO Siva Reddy.

However, Vihari, in all his efforts, is looking to make a comeback on the Indian side. He was one of the pillars of the Indian team's famous series win in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) in 2020–21. In that series, Vihari saved the third Test match at Sydney with an unbeaten 23 of 161 balls amid a hamstring injury. The middle-order batter last featured for the Indian side in July 2022 in the Birmingham Test. 

In regard to Vihari’s decision, the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) has also confirmed that no decision has been made. Interestingly, contrary to popular opinion, the MP side was not considered the powerhouse of Indian cricket in the last decade, but they defeated the 41-time champion of the Ranji Trophy, Mumbai, in a one-sided encounter and lifted the trophy for the fifth time. 

"Vihari did show interest initially, but we have not finalized anything. There is ample time for this matter to be resolved," said MPCA CEO Rohit Pandit.

Gaurav Yadav moves to Puducherry for next season- 

In the meantime, MP’s star pacer Gaurav Yadav will move to Puducherry for the upcoming season of the Ranji Trophy. The 31-year-old is known for his pace and was an important pillar in MP’s Ranji Trophy triumph in the 2022 season. The MP‘s pacer will replace Ankit Sharma in the Puducherry Squad, as Yadav obtained a NOC from his state cricket association.