ENG vs IND 2018: Twitter Erupts As Debutant Hanuma Vihari Leads India's Revival

Debutant Hanuma Vihari scored a brilliant fifty as India started day three of the fifth England vs India Test on a strong note. 

Hanuma Vihari and Ravindra Jadeja had their task cut out when play started on day three. The odds were firmly stacked against them when the day began. India started on 174 for 6 while the conditions were overcast. The stage was set for Stuart Broad and James Anderson to give the visitors a tough time.

Not surprisingly, Broad and Anderson operated in tandem. However, Vihari along with Jadeja put up a brave fight to bring back India in the game.  The duo left and defended well before hitting a flurry of boundaries to take the score past the 200-run mark.

Vihari, who was struggling to time his shots on day two, soon reached his fifty. He became just the fourth India to score a fifty on his debut in England. Jadeja, on the other hand, also continued to impress in his comeback game.

Vihari fell at stroke of lunch after scoring 56 after adding 77 runs for the eighth wicket.

Earlier on day two, India let England’s tail score crucial runs once again.  India had England on the mat after reducing them to 181 for 7. However, their recent problem of conceding too many to the tail-enders once again came back to haunt them. Jos Buttler was the architect of England’s revival. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 89 and shared crucial stands to take England to a challenging 332.

He first shared a 33-run stand with Adil Rashid before sharing a 98-run stand with Stuart Broad. India finally heaved a sigh of relief when Ravindra Jadeja accounted for him to wrap up England’s innings.

In reply, India were once again off to a poor start. Shikhar Dhawan departed after scoring just 3. But KL Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship with a 64-run stand. However, James Anderson pegged India back with his twin strikes in quick succession. The pacer dismissed Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane to leave India reeling at 103 for 4 from 101 for 2. From thereon, India kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and ended the day on 174 for 6.

Here is how Twitter reacted to the first session of day three:

Fifty on debut. Well played, Hanuma Vihari. Hopefully first of many ?? #engvind

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 9, 2018

50 on Debut for Vihari as India start well,finally some late order runs for them.. #ENGvIND

— zainab abbas (@ZAbbasOfficial) September 9, 2018

Well played #HanumaVihari …. great application.

— Gaurav Kapur (@gauravkapur) September 9, 2018

This bit from the @ESPNcricinfo profile : Vihari is at the summit of a very elite list. Among all contemporary cricketers, Vihari has the world's best 's first-class average of 59.45. Steven Smith, the next best, is at 57.27. #HanumaVihari

— Anurag Kotoky (@anuragkotoky) September 9, 2018

#HanumaVihari scores 50 in his debut test match, what an inning by young Andhra batsman. Keep going Vihari.

— Milind Khandekar (@milindkhandekar) September 9, 2018

Now all of those who criticised #HanumaVihari's inclusion in Indian team.Yes leaving out #KarunNair is vary harsh but just look at this guy on debut,has so much time&playing the ball vary late.Some technical problem is there like is head is falling but he is way better than Nair

— Harshad parmar (@Harshad9Parmar) September 8, 2018

I have been so impressed by the Indian batsmen today.. their commitment and application has been good to watch. But how many balls would have hit the stumps today? ?#EngvInd

— Dean Jones AM (@ProfDeano) September 9, 2018

Hanuman Vihari's inning is a lesson for the regular members of the Indian cricket team on application, attitude and a fighting spirit. Only if the rest of the team can show this kind of commitment #INDvENG #ENGvIND #HanumaVihari

— Nitin Sharma (@nitin1sharma) September 9, 2018

https://twitter.com/DrHPandya/status/1038752143916916736

Hope this is end of test career of Hardik "Overrated" Pandya… Well played #HanumaVihari #ENGvIND

— Amit (@amitkumarshukla) September 9, 2018

Hanuma Vihari 26th Indian to register a 50+ score in debut innings.
The last Indian before him was Hardik Pandya who made 50 at Galle in July 2017.#EngvInd

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 9, 2018

Hanuma Vihari Half Century on the faces of Hatred Legends..
From the Land of Laxman and Azar…. Another Classical Batsmen in Making.#ENGvsIND #HanumaVihari #IndvsEng

— Shiva Amirishetti (@SAmirishetti) September 9, 2018

Hanuma Vihari's 55* is the highest score by an Indian batsman outside no. 3, 4 & 5 in this series (in 67 innings combined!).

Well played young lad.??#ENGvIND

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 9, 2018

Of players to bat at least 20 times at No.8 or lower since the start of 2016, Jadeja has the highest average (39.56) of any player in Test cricket. #ENGvIND

— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) September 9, 2018