Indian middle-order Test batter Hanuma Vihari is not threatened by the return of Cheteshwar Pujara to India's long-format team after a successful stint with Sussex in the County Championship Division 2. Vihari, who played at number 3 during the home series against Sri Lanka earlier in the year, was the replacement for Pujara, who was dropped from the side due to his poor form.
With Pujara set to make a comeback, Vihari might lose his spot to the veteran batter, but the 28-year-old is not worried at all. “I am quite comfortable to bat in whichever position the team wants me to bat in. I have been coming up and down the order. At the end of the day, you just have to adapt. For me, it’s only the situation of the game that changes,” he said in an interview to Hindustan Times.
Vihari has proven his mettle in the longest format of the game. His shining moment came during the Sydney Test of the 2020-21 Border Gavaskar Trophy where Vihari, alongside Ravichandran Ashwin battled the fierce Australian bowling attack to save the Test for India.
It was an important contribution of 23 runs as Vihari fought off a hamstring pull to face more than 160 deliveries against their lethal pace attack. While Vihari was expected to get a good run in the Tests after his heroics in Sydney, things haven’t been easy. He has featured in just three of the total 17 matches India has played since that Sydney contest.
However, he is not bothered about the missed chances and only wants to focus on the next opportunity – the Edgbaston Test.
Meanwhile, Pujara is set to make a comeback for India after being named in the 17-member squad as a reward for his outstanding show in County Championship. India is set to play England at Edgagaston for the rescheduled fifth Test of the series that they lead 2-1. The two teams will come face to face after a gap of over 10 months under two new captains - Ben Stokes and Rohit Sharma.
