Hanuma Vihari Has Shown Why He's Been Backed And Selected: Virat Kohli
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India skipper Virat Kohli was all praise for his team after the comprehensive win over West Indies in the second Test. India thrashed the hosts by 257 runs in the second Test to clean sweep the two-match series and end the tour unbeaten. Starting the day on 45 for 2 while chasing an improbable 467, West Indies were all out for just 210.
Shamarh Brooks scored a fighting fifty but his other teammates failed to get going in yet another poor batting display. The hosts did start the day on a positive note and added 52 runs before losing their first wicket when Roston Chase was dismissed. One run later, they lost Shimron Hetmyer too to find themselves reeling at 98 for 4 from 97 for 2.
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Jermaine Blackwood and Brooks stopped the rot for a while but they could only the delay the inevitable for a while. Once Jasprit Bumrah broke the stand by dismissing Blackwood, West Indies’ remaining batsmen fell like a pack of cards.
Speaking at the end of the match, Virat Kohli sounded delighted with his team’s performance. The India skipper had some special praise for Hanuma Vihari who scored a century and an unbeaten fifty in the game.
“Hanuma was the standout batsman in this game. Contributions all around. Was a game full of grit and determination. According to the surface it was a top class innings (Vihari). He’s someone who is sure of his game and it shows. Dressing room feels calm when he’s batting. That’s a quality he possesses naturally. He’s willing to improve. Accepts and corrects his mistakes. Plays with a lot of heart. Always up to do anything for the team. It’s a very young career so far but he’s shown why he’s been backed and selected in this team,” said Virat Kohli.
He further played down his success as a captain as he pointed out how good his teammates have been. He also had some praise from West Indies’ bowling as he backed them to do well.
“It’s a by-product of the quality team we have here (becoming the most successful Indian captain). If we didn’t have the bowlers we have, these results wouldn’t have been possible.
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“If you see these guys running in – Shami’s spell today, Bumrah after having a small niggle, Ishant bowling his heart out, Jadeja bowling a long spell. Captaincy is just a C in front of your name. It’s the collective effort that matters. For us, it’s just the start of the Championship. Whatever’s happened in the past is irrelevant. Look forward to keep continuing playing good cricket. West Indies would know the areas they need to improve on. From bowling point of view, they were outstanding. Jason and Kemar were the standout bowlers for them. Their bowling attack with the red ball here is as lethal as anyone. If they get enough runs on the board, they’ll be a very dangerous opposition in Test cricket,” said Virat Kohli.
