"Once You Are Dropped Or Left Aside From The Indian Team, It Is Tough To Make A Comeback" - Hanuma Vihari

Indian middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari opened up about his exclusion from the national team in the longer format of the game. Hanuma Vihari expressed that being dropped from the squad could have an impact on a player’s mindset.

The right-handed batsman played his last Test against England in July 2022. After that match, he was dropped from the squad and was not considered for selection. He was not included in the squad for the upcoming series against the West Indies.

Dream11 Prediction | Fantasy Cricket Tips | Cricket Match Prediction Today | Cricket News | Cricket Live Score | Asia Cup 2023 | ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 | IND vs AFG 2023 | IND vs WI 2023

Still Have A Long Way To Go – Hanuma Vihari

Speaking ahead of South Zone’s Duleep Trophy semifinal match against North Zone, Hanuma Vihari admitted that making a comeback for the Indian team is tough. He expressed his hope to represent India again, taking inspiration from Ajinkya Rahane.

“Once you are dropped or left aside from the Indian team, it is tough to make a comeback. It affects your mindset. I went through that last season,” said Vihari.

Also read: BCCI Set to Triple The Salary Of Chief Selector; Ajit Agarkar To Earn Rs 3 Crore Per Annum – Reports

“You will want to come back until you retire. Even though I’m 29, I still have it in me. You’ve seen Ajinkya Rahane make a comeback at 35.

I feel I still have a long way to go and have a lot to contribute to the Indian side, especially in Test cricket,” he added.

IND vs AUS 2023 | India National Cricket Team | IND vs AFG 2023 | IND vs WI 2023 | Asia Cup 2023 | ICC World Cup 2023

I Have To Grind It Out In The Domestic Season – Hanuma Vihari

The Hyderabad-born batter said that he would focus on performing well in the domestic season to make a strong case for his selection in the Indian team. He also stated that making a comeback through the Indian Premier League (IPL) would be tough for him.

“This season, I want to keep everything aside and focus on my batting and get better at my skills. Whenever I got a chance, I thought I did well. Maybe my best was not good enough for the Indian team. I’ll try to keep getting better,” he continued.

Also read: Ashes 2023: “He’d Be The Second-Greatest Batsman Australia Have Produced After Don Bradman” – Ricky Ponting Lauds Steve Smith

“IPL is something I don’t have an opportunity to make an impact on and I only have the domestic season. So, I have to grind it out in the domestic season,” said Vihari.

I Want To Play All Formats – Hanuma Vihari

Hanuma Vihari strongly opposed being labeled as a one-format player. He expressed his desire to excel in all formats of the game.

“People have branded me as a Test player but it is unfair. If you see my IPL journey, I’ve done well when I was 19, 20. Although I’ve grown as a white-ball player, I haven’t got much opportunities.”

Also read: Nooshin Al Khadeer Has Been Appointed As Interim Coach Of The India Women’s Team For The Bangladesh Tour

“It is unfair to brand players, a quality player can play all three formats. Going forward I want to play all formats,” he concluded.

Virat Kohli | Rohit Sharma | Rishabh Pant | KL Rahul | Suryakumar Yadav | Sanju Samson | Shreyas Iyer | Yuzvendra Chahal | Jasprit Bumrah