Hanuma Vihari set for county stint with Warwickshire following IPL snub
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Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari is set to have a stint in English county with Warwickshire following his snub by the franchise at the auction for the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 27-year-old played last for Delhi Capitals in the 2019 edition of the tournament, but after his release, he has gone unsold twice. His growing reputation as a specialist player in Test matches might have had a say in the same.
Vihari has been a part of the Indian test team for quite some time now and it was only an injury that led to him not playing in the recently concluded series against England. In the previous series against Australia, Vihari came up with a stunning rearguard along with Ravichandran Ashwin to draw the third test in Sydney by blocking out deliveries for as many as four hours on the final day’s play.
Confirmation from Warwickshire on Hanuma Vihari’s signing awaited
A senior official from BCCI spoke about Hanuma Vihari’s signing by Warwickshire and told TOI, “Yes, Vihari will be playing in the English county side for Warwickshire this season. He would play a few games. He is already in England now.” There has been no confirmation from the county yet and the official said, “The contract is being chalked out. He will play a minimum of three games. We are trying to figure out if there is a chance to play a few more.”
Talking about the need for Vihari to get match-time, the official said, “With a curtailed domestic season this time and Vihari being a part of the Test side, he needs match practice. All his other Test colleagues are part of the IPL teams including Cheteshwar (Pujara). Even if it’s white ball games, they will be fit and match-ready. We need to ensure that Vihari also gets game time before the England tour. It’s not just one World Test Championship final but it’s followed by a full-fledged five-Test series. We need him ready.”
An official announcement from Warwickshire could arrive very soon.
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Nevin Clinton
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