Hanuma Vihari to continue playing for Andhra after getting denied of NOC

Andhra Cricket Association has confirmed Hanuma Vihari will not move to Madhya Pradesh.

Indian cricketer Hanuma Vihari will stay with the Andhra team, the team he played in the last season of the Ranji Trophy after being denied No Objection Certificate (NOC) to move. Earlier, it was reported that the Indian batter was all set to move to Madhya Pradesh but now, the cricketer has decided against it.

Confirming the same, Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) CEO Siva Reddy said, "Although he (Hanuma Vihari) expressed interest in moving, the NOC was not granted. Nevertheless, we are pleased that he has chosen to remain with us."

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Vihari has confirmed his decision but the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association CEO Rohit Pandit stressed that no decision has been made yet. He pointed out how there is an ample amount of time before the start of the next season. He said, "Vihari did show interest initially, but we have not finalized anything. There is ample time for this matter to be resolved."

Hanuma Vihari, who had to sit out for months due to injury, recently featured in the Duleep Trophy, where he led the South Zone team to the title win. Hanuma Vihari also gathered a half-century and two 40-plus scores in a low-scoring championship.

Gaurav Yadav to move to Puducherry

Gaurav Yadav, the lead pacer of Madhya Pradesh, is all set to move to Puducherry for the upcoming season of Ranji Trophy. Known for his pace, Gaurav Yadav played a major role in helping Madhya Pradesh lift the 2022 Ranji Trophy. However, he will be moving to Puducherry this year.

The Madhya Pradesh pacer will replace Ankit Sharma in the Puducherry Squad. Notably, the Puducherry team's captain Rohit Dhamodharan has taken a mental health break from cricket.

The current Puducherry team will feature veterans like KB Arun Karthick and Paras Dogra. KB Arun Karthick's Nellai Royal Kings were the runners-up in the recent TNPL, while Paras Dogra represented Seham Harbour in UK's Durham and North East Cricket League recently.