<p>Hanuma Vihari reiterated his hopes of returning to the Indian team so often in the span of an eight-minute conversation that it felt like he was consoling himself rather than convincing those in his vicinity. </p>.<p>Whatever his choice of words to convey persistence, he wasn’t very persuasive for he slipped in and out of a resentful tone while his body still wore the scars of rejection from over a year ago.</p>.<p>Vihari, despite an average of 33.56 in 16 Tests with one century and five half-centuries, last donned the Indian whites against England in Birmingham in 2022. </p>.<p>After dropping him for the two-Test series against Bangladesh in December 2022, Chethan Sharma, the then chairman of selectors, had said: “It’s not like there’s something wrong with this player (Vihari)… he’ll definitely come back very soon.”</p>.<p>That, obviously, hasn’t happened. And now, Vihari slouches with a rather unsightly gut at the M Chinnaswamy stadium as the captain of the South Zone side which will take on North Zone for a spot in the Duleep Trophy final from Wednesday. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/india-ashwin-continue-to-be-no1-in-test-rankings-williamson-topples-root-1234153.html" target="_blank">India, Ashwin continue to be No1 in Test rankings; Williamson topples Root</a></strong></p>.<p>“It’s always tough to make a comeback once you’re dropped. It plays on your mental side, it affects your mindset quite a bit, I went through that last season, but this season I am focussed and I want to do better,” says Vihari. </p>.<p>“If it happens it happens, I need to keep getting better and stay motivated,” he adds. </p>.<p>In the past, motivation wasn’t something Vihari had to recall as if a distant memory because he always had his mother’s sacrifices to pay homage to. </p>.<p>After his father’s untimely death when Vihari was 12-years-old, Vijayalakshmi chose to ignore employment and live on her late husband’s measly pension to dedicate her life to making Vihari’s dream come true. </p>.<p>She set up ‘nets’ at home when there was rarely enough food to go around. She bought a bowling machine when they couldn’t afford lights. </p>.<p>These testing beginnings in Kakinada crafted a cricketer with grit, and it just so happened that he was aesthetic too. With these attributes, Vihari accumulated 8600 runs at an average of 53.41 from 113 first-class games. </p>.<p>Indian selectors came calling in 2018. He was touted as the next Cheteshwar Pujara, an elegant version. Ironically, at this very moment, Pujara is in Alur - 26 kilometres from central Bengaluru - for West Zone’s semifinal tie against Central Zone in a bid to find his way back into the Indian side. </p>.<p>“It’s very tough. It took a lot of time to understand why I was dropped at all. Then, to get motivated and try to make a comeback is hard,” says the Andhra player. </p>.<p>When asked if he now knows why he has been sidelined, Vihari says: “I am not sure even now because I thought that I did well and to the best of my ability whenever I did get the chance. Maybe, my best was not good enough for the Indian team (smirks).”</p>.<p>The 29-year-old then revealed seeking solace in Ajinkya Rahane’s recent return to the Indian side at 35.</p>.<p>“Hope is always there. Until you retire you keep hoping that you will come back to the Indian side. Again, I am still 29 so I have a lot of time. You have seen Ajinkya Rahane making a comeback at 35,” he says.</p>.<p>“Previously, guys at 35 would not get a chance to make a comeback. What this proves is that if the player has quality, if he can contribute to the Indian side, there is always time to make a comeback.” </p>.<p>But just as streaks of optimism were beginning to come through, Vihari says: “I was doing commentary during the IPL! I have been branded as a Test player and so everyone thinks I can only play red-ball cricket, that’s unfair. That means I only have first-class cricket to prove myself. I can’t play the IPL and be seen.” </p>.<p>If that wasn’t enough, he adds: “Many players seem to be making their comebacks (in Tests) after putting up good performances in the IPL.”</p>.<p>One has to feel for him, but he isn’t helping himself, least of all looking like that. </p>
<p>Hanuma Vihari reiterated his hopes of returning to the Indian team so often in the span of an eight-minute conversation that it felt like he was consoling himself rather than convincing those in his vicinity. </p>.<p>Whatever his choice of words to convey persistence, he wasn’t very persuasive for he slipped in and out of a resentful tone while his body still wore the scars of rejection from over a year ago.</p>.<p>Vihari, despite an average of 33.56 in 16 Tests with one century and five half-centuries, last donned the Indian whites against England in Birmingham in 2022. </p>.<p>After dropping him for the two-Test series against Bangladesh in December 2022, Chethan Sharma, the then chairman of selectors, had said: “It’s not like there’s something wrong with this player (Vihari)… he’ll definitely come back very soon.”</p>.<p>That, obviously, hasn’t happened. And now, Vihari slouches with a rather unsightly gut at the M Chinnaswamy stadium as the captain of the South Zone side which will take on North Zone for a spot in the Duleep Trophy final from Wednesday. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/cricket/india-ashwin-continue-to-be-no1-in-test-rankings-williamson-topples-root-1234153.html" target="_blank">India, Ashwin continue to be No1 in Test rankings; Williamson topples Root</a></strong></p>.<p>“It’s always tough to make a comeback once you’re dropped. It plays on your mental side, it affects your mindset quite a bit, I went through that last season, but this season I am focussed and I want to do better,” says Vihari. </p>.<p>“If it happens it happens, I need to keep getting better and stay motivated,” he adds. </p>.<p>In the past, motivation wasn’t something Vihari had to recall as if a distant memory because he always had his mother’s sacrifices to pay homage to. </p>.<p>After his father’s untimely death when Vihari was 12-years-old, Vijayalakshmi chose to ignore employment and live on her late husband’s measly pension to dedicate her life to making Vihari’s dream come true. </p>.<p>She set up ‘nets’ at home when there was rarely enough food to go around. She bought a bowling machine when they couldn’t afford lights. </p>.<p>These testing beginnings in Kakinada crafted a cricketer with grit, and it just so happened that he was aesthetic too. With these attributes, Vihari accumulated 8600 runs at an average of 53.41 from 113 first-class games. </p>.<p>Indian selectors came calling in 2018. He was touted as the next Cheteshwar Pujara, an elegant version. Ironically, at this very moment, Pujara is in Alur - 26 kilometres from central Bengaluru - for West Zone’s semifinal tie against Central Zone in a bid to find his way back into the Indian side. </p>.<p>“It’s very tough. It took a lot of time to understand why I was dropped at all. Then, to get motivated and try to make a comeback is hard,” says the Andhra player. </p>.<p>When asked if he now knows why he has been sidelined, Vihari says: “I am not sure even now because I thought that I did well and to the best of my ability whenever I did get the chance. Maybe, my best was not good enough for the Indian team (smirks).”</p>.<p>The 29-year-old then revealed seeking solace in Ajinkya Rahane’s recent return to the Indian side at 35.</p>.<p>“Hope is always there. Until you retire you keep hoping that you will come back to the Indian side. Again, I am still 29 so I have a lot of time. You have seen Ajinkya Rahane making a comeback at 35,” he says.</p>.<p>“Previously, guys at 35 would not get a chance to make a comeback. What this proves is that if the player has quality, if he can contribute to the Indian side, there is always time to make a comeback.” </p>.<p>But just as streaks of optimism were beginning to come through, Vihari says: “I was doing commentary during the IPL! I have been branded as a Test player and so everyone thinks I can only play red-ball cricket, that’s unfair. That means I only have first-class cricket to prove myself. I can’t play the IPL and be seen.” </p>.<p>If that wasn’t enough, he adds: “Many players seem to be making their comebacks (in Tests) after putting up good performances in the IPL.”</p>.<p>One has to feel for him, but he isn’t helping himself, least of all looking like that. </p>