When asked if he could open the innings in the absence of regular opener Rohit Sharma, Vihari said that he will be prepared for every spot.
India's Hanuma Vihari acknowledges the applause after reaching his fifty during play on the third day of the fifth Test cricket match between England and India at The Oval in London on September 9, 2018. (AFP PHOTO / Adrian DENNIS)
India Test middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari on Friday said that he is ready to bat anywhere in the team.
When asked if he could open the innings in the absence of regular opener Rohit Sharma, Vihari said that he will be prepared for every spot.
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“Obviously, as a player, I will be prepared to bat anywhere. As of now, I have not been informed anything but if the team requests me to bat wherever in the order I’m ready to,” Vihari told reporters as quoted by ANI.
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The right-handed batsman on Friday scored a gritty hundred in the 3-day practice match against New Zealand. His innings included 10 fours and 3 sixes. Along with Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma stitched 195 runs for the sixth wicket to take India out of hot waters, who at one stage were struggling at 38 for 4.
Pujara scored 93 runs before getting out by Jake Gibson and Vihari retired hurt after scoring 101 as India got bundled out for 263 in 78.5 overs when umpires called Stumps on Day 1.
“When I went in, the wicket was doing a lot. There was a lot of grass cover on the wicket and we lost four early wickets. We were 40-4. So, the talk was to bat time and see-off the new ball as they were bowling in the great areas,” Vihari said.
“I have made a few adjustments in the middle because wickets in Lincoln was quite different to what it is here. It adds pace and bounce early on and with the new ball, it was a challenge. Pujara was their to help me. He told me what I could do, leave more balls on this wicket,” he added.
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