"I Have No Expectations" - Hanuma Vihari On Return To Team India For Test Matches
Published - 06 Feb 2024, 12:43 PM | Updated - 06 Feb 2024, 03:57 PM
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Andhra batter Hanuma Vihari expressed disappointment at not being part of the Indian Test team. Hanuma Vihari revealed that he hasn’t had any communication with the team management or selectors except for a conversation with head coach Rahul Dravid.
Hanuma Vihari’s last appearance for India was in July 2022 against England at Edgbaston, where he scored 20 and 11. The 30-year-old batter has played 16 Test matches, scoring 839 runs at a decent average of 33.56 with the help of a century and five half-centuries.
Andhra, positioned second in Elite Group B, has clinched three victories and one loss in five Ranji Trophy matches, trailing Mumbai. Vihari has played a pivotal role in Andhra’s success, scoring 365 runs in seven innings at an impressive average of 52.14 this season.
Rahul Dravid Did Speak To Me After My Last Test – Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari emphasized his focus on improving his game and doing his best for the team without harbouring expectations. He expressed that he prioritizes giving his best in each batting opportunity at this stage in his career.
“No-one has spoken to me recently, but Rahul Dravid did speak to me after my last Test, and he told me what I can improve on, but no, I haven’t been in touch with anyone since then,” Vihari told ESPNcricinfo.
Very Wonderful Memories Of The Sydney Test – Hanuma Vihari
Hanuma Vihari recalled the memorable Sydney Test during the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy, where he and Ravichandran Ashwin played a pivotal role in saving the match.
“I have very wonderful memories of the Sydney Test. It was one-all. If we had lost that Test in Sydney, we would have lost our chance of winning the series. So Ashwin and I – we were both carrying injuries, so we couldn’t run much – decided to take it ball-by-ball, over-by-over, and see where we end up.
“We ended up playing one-and-a-half sessions and it was a memorable result. Then we went to Gabba and won the series, but the Sydney Test will always be a special one for me,” said Vihari.
Vihari, battling a torn hamstring, played a remarkable innings, scoring an unbeaten 23 off 161 deliveries on the final day of the Sydney Test. The 30-year-old batter formed an unbeaten 62-run partnership off 256 deliveries with Ravichandran Ashwin for the seventh wicket.
Their batting contributed to one of the most famous draws in cricket history and set the stage for a series finale. Ashwin and Vihari missed the fourth Test due to respective injuries. The Indian cricket team defeated Australia in the final match at The Gabba in Brisbane.
The Andhra batter would find it challenging to stage an international comeback as he has slipped down the pecking order. The right-handed batter, renowned for his precise technique, has featured in 13 of his 16 Tests on foreign soil.
Also read: Ranji Trophy 2024: Hanuma Vihari Resigns As Captain Of Andhra, Ricky Bhui Appointed New Captain
