Australia vs India 2018: Asking Hanuma Vihari To Open Was Unfair On Him - VVS Laxman

Former Indian National Cricket Team batsman VVS Laxman expressed his disappointment with the team management decision of opening the innings with young Hanuma Vihari. However, the all-rounder failed to put up a good start as he got out scoring only eight runs in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test.

Moreover, Vihari bats in the middle-order for his state in the domestic cricket. He came out to open with debutant Mayank Agarwal who played a fantastic knock in the first innings. The right-hander had scored 76 runs with the help of eight boundaries and one six.

Laxman not happy with the opening pair

While speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, VVS Laxman sympathized with the Andhra cricketer. He said that it was unfair on his part to make him open the Test match. Hanuma Vihari, so far, had played three Test matches for India and batted in the middle-order and also throughout his first-class career.

“That’s where as a team management you invest and support a player [so that] … the next Test he plays he can turn it around. It’s really unfair and unfortunate for Vihari to open in an international match. He was never done that in first-class cricket or any form of cricket” Laxman said.

He further expressed his surprise with the opening combination. However, Laxman is also not happy as India had also dropped their regular openers in the Melbourne Test.

“I’m very surprised with the opening combination. Especially on this tour, where Australia have got three quality fast bowlers, the importance of playing out overs and seeing off the new ball so that the middle-order batsmen can come and play their style of cricket … so I am surprised” VVS Laxman added.

Furthermore, India is struggling with the openers since their tour to South Africa. With Prithvi Shaw ruled out of the series due to an injury, India had to do some experiment. The Hyderabadi legend urged the team management to back senior players like Vijay who has proved himself in Test matches overseas.

“While Mayank Agarwal would have been an automatic choice, particularly when keeping in mind that Prithvi Shaw is out of the series and KL Rahul is struggling with his confidence level, I felt that Murali Vijay showed a glimpse of what Murali Vijay can do,” Laxman concluded.