India’s batter Hanuma Bihari will be joining the new team for the upcoming 2023-24 domestic season. He is set to play for Madhya Pradesh and is currently waiting for a No Objection Certificate from his current team, the Andhra Cricket Association, as per ESPNCricinfo.
The 29-year-old has taken part in 16 Test matches and will be one of two professionals in the contention for Madhya Pradesh this year. Vihari will join the batting department of Madhya Pradesh which includes, Shubham Sharma, Rajat Patidar, and Venkatesh Iyer. Currently, Vihari is plying his trade in the Duleep Trophy and is captaining South Zone, and he will stand as one of the candidates to lead Madhya Pradesh.
In the 16 Test matches for India, Vihari has amassed 839 runs at an average of 33.56 with one century against the West Indies. Talking about his last domestic run, he made 490 runs in 14 innings, leading Andhra to the knockout rounds. He also scored two half-centuries.
Vihari has played 113 games in first-class cricket, collecting 8,600 runs with the help of 23 centuries and 45 half-centuries with an average of 53.41. Earlier, Vihari drew immense praise from the cricket fraternity for the display of fighting spirit in the ongoing Ranji Trophy quarter-final match between Andhra Pradesh and defending champions Madhya Pradesh.
Andhra Pradesh skipper Vihari scored 27 runs off 57 balls in the first innings when his arm got injured while he made an attempt to dodge a quick bouncer from Madhya Pradesh pacer Avesh Khan. The right-handed batter broke his left wrist during the first innings. Andhra Pradesh scored 379 runs in the first innings. In reply, Madhya Pradesh got bowled out for 228 runs.
Andhra Pradesh batters too had a dreaded outing in 2nd innings and were reeling at 76/9 when injured Hanuma Vihari came out to bat at No 10. He batted with a broken left wrist and played shots with only one hand in the second innings. During this, the right-handed batter scored 15 runs off 16 balls with the help of three boundaries.
