HANUMA VIHARI may have missed the IPL bus, but India's Test specialist is all set for a county stint at Warwickshire.
The right-handed batsman in order to prepare for the upcoming six-Test season is believed to have left for the UK and would be featuring in at least three games for Warwickshire.
"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 told PTI on Tuesday (6).
The Warwickshire county is yet to make the announcement but BCCI officials say the formalities are being worked out.
"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.
He last played in the IPL in 2019 for Delhi Capitals and since then has gone unsold at the auctions.
The 27-year-old has played 12 Tests for India, scored a hundred and four fifties.
Vihari last played for India in the famous drawn Sydney Test against Australia in 2020. With a torn hamstring, he along with Ravichandran Ashwin put up a four-hour vigil to save the Test match for India.
After recovery, his return at the domestic one-day tournament, Vijay Hazare Trophy, was not that impressive where he scored only one half-century.
The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has had always encouraged players to play in county cricket. In recent years, players like Ishant Sharma, Ashwin and Axar Patel have benefited from their respective stints as county cricketers.
India captain Virat Kohli had signed up with Surrey to play county cricket in 2018, but had to give it a miss due to an injury.
A 19th-century painting in Wiesbaden sees a massive visitor surge.
Fans spotted a direct link to the opening shot of The Fate of Ophelia.
Museum staff were completely caught off guard by the 'Swiftie' invasion.
They are now planning special tours to capitalise on the unexpected fame.
The question on everyone's mind: did Taylor Swift visit this place herself?
It is not every day a quiet German museum gets caught in a pop culture hurricane. But that is exactly what has happened at Museum Wiesbaden, where a painting of Shakespeare’s Ophelia has become a pilgrimage site. The reason? Taylor Swift’s latest music video for The Fate of Ophelia kicks off with a scene that looks ripped straight from their gallery wall. Suddenly, they have queues of fans where usually there is just quiet contemplation.
The Ophelia painting that Swifties say inspired The Fate of Ophelia becomes an overnight sensation Instagram/taylorswift
How did this Ophelia painting become so popular?
To be honest, it was simply hanging there. Friedrich Heyser’s work from about 1900. It is lovely, sure, but it was not a headline act. Then the video drops. And you see it immediately in the pose, the white dress, and the water lilies. It is practically a direct copy or, let us say, an homage. Fans on social media connected the dots in hours. Now the museum cannot believe its luck. Visitor numbers went from a few dozen admirers to hundreds, just over one weekend. Mostly young women, taking selfies. A whole new crowd for a century-old painting.
What has the museum said about the surprise attention?
They are thrilled, but a bit stunned. A spokesperson said it was a "shock" and they are having an "absolute Ophelia run." Can you blame them? One minute you are managing a classical collection, the next you are at the centre of a global fan phenomenon. They tried to reach Swift’s team, but they had no luck there. But they have leaned into it completely. Now they are organising a special "Ophelia reception" with guided tours. Smart move, right? It is a perfect storm of high art and pop star power, and they are riding the wave.
The big question: did Taylor Swift actually visit?
This is the real mystery, is not it? How did this specific painting, in this specific German museum, end up as the template for a mega-budget video? The staff are wondering the same thing. She was in Germany for the Eras tour last July. Did she slip in, incognito? Did a location scout send a photo? The museum thinks they would have noticed if Taylor Swift was wandering their halls. Who knows? It is the sort of stuff that feeds fan speculation for years. Whatever the facts, the painting's life has been irreversibly altered.
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