Hanuma Vihari Seeks NOC From Andhra: Check India Batter's Cricketing Journey And Expectations In The New Season

Hanuma Vihari, a domestic giant, has decided to switch states for the upcoming cricket season in India. The 31-year-old player has formally sought a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA), a move that signals his intent to leave Andhra Pradesh's team.

Vihari's domestic cricket journey has seen several transitions between teams. He began his first-class career with Hyderabad in 2010 at age 17. In 2015, seeking better prospects, he moved to Andhra Pradesh ahead of the new season, where he became a pivotal player.

He also captained Andhra before being controversially removed from the post in 2024 following political interference within the Andhra Cricket Association.

"I have been thinking about a switch. Tripura has been asking me for some time," Vihari told Cricbuzz. The report claims that the middle-order batter has already applied for the NOC from the ACA, as required by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations for state transfers.

The Tripura state team is competing in the Elite division of Indian domestic cricket across both red-ball and white-ball formats. Vihari's arrival will significantly strengthen Tripura's squad for the 2025-26 domestic cricket season.

The BCCI mandates that any player wishing to switch state teams must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from their current state association before the start of the domestic season.

In the 2024–25 season, numerous players across India applied for inter-state transfers, with most citing better playing opportunities as the main reason.

Tripura Cricket Association Confirms Vihari Plans

The report also cited a Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) official statement confirming that it has finalised Hanuma Vihari as their player for the upcoming season. Vihari is likely to captain the team.

"We have recommended to the association a few names to sign as professionals. I cannot disclose the names, but I know we are signing Vihari," Tapan Lodh, a former president of the association and currently part of the TCA, told Cricbuzz.

In the Ranji Trophy 2024-25 season, many outfits in the 32-team Elite Group appointed 'guest' players as their captains, showing a reliance on experienced professionals to bolster team performance. Tripura, for instance, named Mandeep Singh as captain, while other teams like Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan also followed this trend.

Vihari's Domestic Career: Andhra And Hyderabad Stints

Hanuma Vihari has had a prolific domestic career, scoring 9585 runs in 131 First Class and 3506 in 97 List-A matches.

The right-handed batter initially moved to Andhra in the 2016-17 season, then returned to Hyderabad for a stint before rejoining Andhra for the last two seasons. But in February 2024, following a contentious season, he announced his decision to leave Andhra, citing loss of self-respect due to alleged political interference.

He famously batted with a fractured left wrist in Andhra's Ranji Trophy 2022-23 quarter-final against Madhya Pradesh. For Hyderabad, he featured in 40 matches and scored 3,155 runs at an average of 57.38, including 10 centuries and 12 half-centuries.

Hanuma's International Career

Vihari made his Test debut against England in the 5th match of India's tour of England 2018 and scored a maiden half-century (56 off 124 balls) in the first innings.

In 16 Test matches so far, he has scored 839 runs at an average of 33.56 with one century and five fifties. A part-time spinner, Vihari has five wickets, including that of former England captain Alastair Cook, for his first scalp in international cricket.

Vihari last played for India in the Birmingham Test against England in July 2022. He is yet to represent India in the shorter formats of the game.

India's 2025-26 Domestic Season

India's domestic cricket season will start with the Duleep Trophy, starting August 28, 2025. The 62nd edition of the tournament will feature six zonal teams: Central, East, North, North East, South, and West.

Vihari, however, has not been selected to represent any of the sides in this knock-out First Class tournament.

Other notable tournaments are: the Ranji Trophy, in two phases -- October-November 2025 and January-February 2026, and the white-ball tournaments -- the Vijay Hazare Trophy (50 overs) and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20), scheduled to be held between the two phases of red-ball cricket.

Meanwhile, the Indian national cricket team will be in the United Arab Emirates to defend the Asia Cup title, starting September 9, 2025. The Suryakumar Kumar-led 'Men in Blue' start their campaign with a group stage match against the UAE in Dubai on September 10, and will be followed by clashes against bitter rivals Pakistan on September 14 and Oman on September 19.

The home season will commence with a Test series against the West Indies, starting on October 2, 2025, in Ahmedabad. The second and final Test of the series will be held in Kolkata from October 10.

Following the West Indies series, India will host South Africa for an all-format series, featuring two Tests, three ODIs, and five T20Is, from November 14 to December 19, 2025.