CHENNAI: When Delhi Capitals signed Andhra spin bowling-all-rounder Tripurana Vijay for `30 lakh during the IPL mega auction in November 2024, it became a day to remember for the entire Srikakulam district. Vijay had become the first from the district to get to the IPL. And since he did, his career has taken a turn for the better.
In the beginning of 2025, he returned with a 10-wicket haul against Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy. After his first year in Delhi Capitals, where he had the closest view of top players but could not take part in a match, Vijay is set for his sophomore year in IPL. This year could be his make-or-break year. He scalped 24 wickets in the recently concluded Ranji campaign, in which Andhra topped Group A but crashed out to Bengal in the quarterfinals.
While he waits for his IPL debut, his family, it can be said, are still pinching themselves over the fact that one of them has made it to the big leagues. "It is still unreal right? Being a brother of an IPL player," said Tripurana Vinay, Vijay's elder brother. "From the start, he used to have a mindset of playing a higher form of cricket every time. Even if he has minimum chances he wants to do well in every single match to improve. He also thinks about representing India," he told this daily.
And it has also had a ripple effect in the district as well. The river Nagavalli has been a blessing for ages for the people in Srikakulam district. The river, originating from the picturesque Eastern Ghats has been a blessing for the farmers across the district. In sport, India's first woman to win an Olympic medal — weightlifter Karnam Malleswari — hails from the district. But in cricket, the district saw little to no priority to cricket until Vijay's rise.
Growing up, access to nets or to basic cricketing facilities were 'minimum,' according to Vinay, who is a software engineer. "Back then, we didn't have nets in our city. We just had a cement wicket. We used to play with synthetic and plastic balls," he revealed. Vinay, who also played cricket in zonal level, recalled how his younger sibling's rise to the IPL has helped bring the district the recognition it needed. "(The facilities) have improved. The Andhra Cricket Association was involved in putting some nets in different sub-centres of the district. Even the balls we get are now leather. However, the wickets are still made out of cement," Vinay said.
He also spoke about how Vijay has never settled for anything minimal. "He is not satisfied at all with any performance. He is always hungry for more. He has been continuously taking wickets across formats In two seasons itself, he got 50 wickets in Ranji Trophy. But like I said, he does not settle at all," he said.
Going by his performances in Andhra in the recently concluded Ranji Trophy, Vijay's role in the team is more to do with him scalping key wickets when the conditions favour spin, and coming in as a lower-middle order batter to bring stability. On the bowling front, his brother felt that his efforts will be accounted for one day. "Being an off-spinner these days, it's a bit difficult to survive in this form of cricket. But he has confidence to bowl well and everything, and perform well at any stage of cricket. Even though it is a higher level also, he wants to perform well every time," he said.
Being an elder brother of someone who 'never settles,' assuring Vijay that his time will come is important. The 24-year-old all-rounder was part of South Zone's squad for the Duleep Trophy last year but could not play a match. "I keep telling him, 'It is all God's plan only. Whenever you get a chance, you will definitely prove yourself and you will come back harder.' That's the point we used to discuss. People who work really hard will definitely succeed in their life," he said.
Could this be the season of Vijay? One has to wait and watch.
