Part of the U19 World Cup-winning Indian side of 2012, Hanuma Vihari’s solidity as a batsman was a well-documented fact, right from his childhood days. A native of Kakinada in Andhra, he promptly climbed up the ranks, through South Zone and the junior National sides. While he continued to churn out runs across formats, it was obvious that Vihari was made for Test match cricket. After landing an IPL contract with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2012, he also produced a Man-of-the-Match performance in that season, also showcasing his part-time off-breaks to good effect by getting Chris Gayle for a golden duck. His batting lacked the unconventional fizz and power-hitting that you associate with T20 cricket but his
class was undeniable.
