Today marks the birthday of an outstanding athlete who was once considered the future pillar of Indian Test cricket, but who is now in the shadows. Hanuma Vihari was born on October 13, 1993, in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, and today he turns 33.
No one can forget the 2021 Sydney Test when the Indian team was on the verge of defeat by Australian bowlers. In that difficult moment, Hanuma Vihari, despite battling a serious hamstring injury, stood on the field for hours like a rock and helped India avoid defeat.
However, what did Vihari receive in return for such selfless efforts for the same team and country? After July 2022, he was dropped from the Indian squad and has not appeared in the Indian jersey since.
Expressing his pain, Hanuma Vihari spoke in an interview about his deep disappointment and sadness after being dropped from the team. He shared that it had always been difficult for him not to be in the Test team. However, after talking to coach Rahul Dravid following his trip to England, no one showed interest in his affairs anymore, and he had no hopes left except to do his job.
Vihari's career decline is linked not only to poor form but also to political intrigues within the system. In 2024, a conflict with the Andhra Cricket Association surfaced during a Ranji match. Vihari himself revealed that he was penalized by being denied captaincy for shouting at the son of a local politician.
When Vihari released a letter signed by 15 players against this association's tyranny, his entire career was put at risk. After this, he was not even selected for the India-A team, and his name was never mentioned by selectors. During his career for India, he scored 839 runs in 28 innings across 16 Test matches, including one century and five fifties.
