England vs India 2018: Sanath Kumar Reveals Hanuma Vihari Overcame Huge Obstacles

Hanuma Vihari was the cynosure of the eyes when he was given the debut cap ahead of senior batsman Karun Nair in ongoing England vs India 2018, fifth and final Test at Kennington Oval in London. However, he defended the team management by showing his bravery during his brisk 56-run knock. Meanwhile, Vihari’s coach Sanath Kumar reveals the other side of the player.

The young lad played a lot of cricket for Hyderabad before moving to lead Andhra Pradesh. For obvious reasons, debutant Vihari failed to get the call-up despite knocking solid centuries for the team.

Coach Sanath Kumar stood beside Hanuma Vihari:

Explaining Vihari’s career in a brief, his coach revealed an incident that happened in a hotel. Sanath, who noticed a different Vihari called him to meet in the hotel and learnt that the young lad isn’t happy about making the shift after knocking tonnes of runs for Hyderabad.

Sanath added that he took a promise from the youngster to continue his game for three more years.

Later, he gave his word to the youngster that he is going to take Vihari with him wherever he goes to coach a particular team. He made his debut in a spectacular fashion for Virat Kohli-led India.

All those words worked like magic to invent a new Vihari and do it in the domestic circuits.

”Vihari had quit Hyderabad after six years of first-class cricket and was left disillusioned with the whole experience. “I am not getting into the particulars but enough to say that the entire experience was unpleasant. You are not going to do anything silly like quitting the game or anything like that. I promise you this: give me three years of cricket and I think you will play for India. You are that good. And if things don’t work out there (Andhra), I will take you wherever I go,” Sanath Kumar told Indian Express.

”He did it. Not only did he transform himself personally, he would dedicate to changing the culture of the team. I can confidently say that Vihari was one of the primary reasons we turned around. The dedication and focus he showed rubbed on to the other players. He would constantly speak to them, get them to train properly and became the leader. He had great captaincy traits,” he added.

After losing his father at the age of 12, Vihari lost his dear uncle:

Vihari lost his father when he was at the age of 12 years. It has always been tough for the youngster to lead the life then.

However, his uncle stood by him to continue his love for the game and studies as well. However, Vihari lost his uncle as well when the kidney transplantation wasn’t successful.

England Vs India 2018: It has been the series of see-saw battles as well –

“Vihari spent a lot of money and time into the treatment. He got a surgery done. This time around, there was no need for any major talk. He was determined to make it, play for India for all the right reasons. The poor boy has struggled a lot in life, and it gives me great joy to see him play for India, Sanath concluded.

However, it seems like Hanuma Vihari came through a lot in his career to make it big on the International circuit. Marking the debut on a sweet note, he registered a fifty for the team facing the strong English attack.