Hanuma Vihari has the daunting task of stepping into the shoes of both Rohit Sharma and R. Ashwin. He has to bat at six and bowl restrictive off-spin. But on a gruelling first day of the second Test, Vihari did reasonably well, first as a bowler, prising out Shaun Marsh and Marcus Harris.
Facing the media here on Friday, Vihari looked a touch dazed. His words were slow but they mirrored sincerity. He was asked about getting a wicket with a bouncer (Harris). The Hyderabadi overlooked the humour in the question and with a serious demeanour, replied: “No. I was lucky enough to get that extra bounce. It was an important wicket at that stage. He was set and looking dangerous after lunch. I was trying to bowl my best for the team.”
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Staying disciplined and delivering for the team, was Vihari’s prime-focus. “I tried to bowl a little bit quicker than the first few deliveries because I was trying to hit the surface a little bit more and get the bounce out of the wicket. That was the main idea - try to keep it tight and give the seamers a rest. If the wickets come, it is a bonus,” he said.
Queried about where India stands in this match, Vihari replied: “The first one hour (on Saturday) will be very crucial. If we get them out for below 320, we are right back in the game. If we bat well, we have a good chance.”
And what about Virat Kohli’s splendid catch to dismiss Peter Handscomb? Vihari smiled bright and said: “It was a blinder, you know. Those are the moments that change the course of the game. We needed something after tea to change the rhythm. It was a screamer. We were lucky he had come to (second) slip in that very over. It was meant to happen.”
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