Indian cricketer and former Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari has been ruled out of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 due to personal reasons. His unavailability comes as a big blow to Tripura, whom Vihari is currently representing.
Tripura head coach Satrajit Lahiri confirmed Hanuma Vihari’s unavailability for the remainder of the Ranji Trophy season.
“He had earlier said that he won’t be featuring due to personal reasons. I don’t know what the reason is, but that’s a big blow for us,” said Lahiri following Tripura’s innings and 116-run defeat against hosts Karnataka at the SDNRW Stadium in Mysuru.
Tripura, who are placed in Elite Group B of the Ranji Trophy 2026-27 alongside domestic heavyweights Karnataka and Saurashtra, are yet to open their account on the points table, having lost all three matches so far.
The 33-year-old Vihari featured in just one match this season, in the opening round of the Ranji Trophy, where he managed scores of 0 and 1 against Hyderabad. Tripura lost that match by an innings and 40 runs.
The team subsequently suffered a nine-wicket defeat against Assam in Guwahati before facing another heavy loss at the hands of Karnataka.
Difference of Opinion Between Hanuma Vihari and Tripura Head Coach?
Vihari moved out of Andhra and signed a deal to represent Tripura for the 2025-26 domestic season. He enjoyed an eventful campaign in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 482 runs in seven matches at an average of 43.81.
However, he failed to make a strong start to the 2026-27 season, managing only single-digit scores in both innings against Hyderabad.
Reportedly, there have been rumours of a possible difference of opinion between Hanuma Vihari and Tripura head coach Satrajit Lahiri, which could have contributed to Vihari’s decision not to feature in the remaining matches.
