<p>The Indian Premier League franchises turned him down but Team India's Test specialist Hanuma Vihari is all set to prepare for the upcoming six-Test season in the United Kingdom by competing for English county side Warwickshire.</p>.<p>The right-handed middle-order batsman has already left for the UK and will be a part of the Birmingham based county side for at least three games this season.</p>.<p>"Yes, Vihari will be playing in the English county side for Warwickshire this season. He would play a few games. He is already in England now," a senior BCCI official confirmed the development to PTI on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The Warwickshire county's official page hasn't made the announcement yet but as per BCCI officials, the modalities are being worked out.</p>.<p>"The contract is being chalked out. He will play a minimum of three games. We are trying to figure out if there is a chance to play a few more," an official said.</p>.<p>Vihari last played in the IPL back in 2019 for Delhi Capitals and since then has gone unsold at the successive auctions after being billed as a Test specialist.</p>.<p>The 27-year-old has scored 624 runs in 12 Tests for India at an average of 32 plus. He has hit a hundred and four half centuries.</p>.<p>Vihari's last India outing was in the Sydney Test against Australia, where his epic four-hour vigil (23 not out), with a torn hamstring alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, saved the game for the visiting team.</p>.<p>He came back after an intense rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru but had an indifferent Vijay Hazare Trophy for Andhra, scoring only a single half-century and failing to reach double digits in the next five games.</p>.<p>"With a curtailed domestic season this time and Vihari being a part of the Test side, he needs match practice.</p>.<p>"All his other Test colleagues are part of the IPL teams including Cheteshwar (Pujara). Even if it's white ball games, they will be fit and match-ready," the source said.</p>.<p>"However, we need to ensure that Vihari also gets game time before the England tour. It's not just one World Test Championship final but it's followed by a full-fledged five-Test series. We need him ready," he added.</p>.<p>Over the years, the BCCI has encouraged a lot of its cricketers to go and play county cricket, especially before the England tours.</p>.<p>Ishant Sharma, when he wasn't a part of the IPL, had gone to Sussex and became a better red ball bowler during the past few years.</p>.<p>Ashwin and Axar Patel have also played county cricket in recent years.</p>.<p>The most high-profile name which was supposed to play country cricket (in 2018) but missed out due to injury was Indian captain Virat Kohli, who had a contract with Surrey.</p>
<p>The Indian Premier League franchises turned him down but Team India's Test specialist Hanuma Vihari is all set to prepare for the upcoming six-Test season in the United Kingdom by competing for English county side Warwickshire.</p>.<p>The right-handed middle-order batsman has already left for the UK and will be a part of the Birmingham based county side for at least three games this season.</p>.<p>"Yes, Vihari will be playing in the English county side for Warwickshire this season. He would play a few games. He is already in England now," a senior BCCI official confirmed the development to PTI on Tuesday.</p>.<p>The Warwickshire county's official page hasn't made the announcement yet but as per BCCI officials, the modalities are being worked out.</p>.<p>"The contract is being chalked out. He will play a minimum of three games. We are trying to figure out if there is a chance to play a few more," an official said.</p>.<p>Vihari last played in the IPL back in 2019 for Delhi Capitals and since then has gone unsold at the successive auctions after being billed as a Test specialist.</p>.<p>The 27-year-old has scored 624 runs in 12 Tests for India at an average of 32 plus. He has hit a hundred and four half centuries.</p>.<p>Vihari's last India outing was in the Sydney Test against Australia, where his epic four-hour vigil (23 not out), with a torn hamstring alongside Ravichandran Ashwin, saved the game for the visiting team.</p>.<p>He came back after an intense rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru but had an indifferent Vijay Hazare Trophy for Andhra, scoring only a single half-century and failing to reach double digits in the next five games.</p>.<p>"With a curtailed domestic season this time and Vihari being a part of the Test side, he needs match practice.</p>.<p>"All his other Test colleagues are part of the IPL teams including Cheteshwar (Pujara). Even if it's white ball games, they will be fit and match-ready," the source said.</p>.<p>"However, we need to ensure that Vihari also gets game time before the England tour. It's not just one World Test Championship final but it's followed by a full-fledged five-Test series. We need him ready," he added.</p>.<p>Over the years, the BCCI has encouraged a lot of its cricketers to go and play county cricket, especially before the England tours.</p>.<p>Ishant Sharma, when he wasn't a part of the IPL, had gone to Sussex and became a better red ball bowler during the past few years.</p>.<p>Ashwin and Axar Patel have also played county cricket in recent years.</p>.<p>The most high-profile name which was supposed to play country cricket (in 2018) but missed out due to injury was Indian captain Virat Kohli, who had a contract with Surrey.</p>