Published 14:09 IST, September 1st 2019
Hanuma Vihari dedicates maiden Test ton against Windies to late father
Indian middle-order Test batsman Hanuma Vihari dedicated his maiden Test ton to his late father after he scored 111 runs off 225 balls, putting India on the top
Indian middle-order Test batsman Hanuma Vihari brought up his maiden Test ton against the West Indies on Day two of the second Test on Saturday. Hanuma Vihari scored 111 runs off 225 balls, frustrating the West Indies bowlers with his partnership along with Ishant Sharma, who scored his maiden Test fifty. Vihari, who resumed his knock at 42, notched up his fifty in 96 balls with the help of an inside-edge boundary off Holder in the 97th over of the innings. Skipper Virat Kohli even made a special mention of Hanuma vihari for his maiden ton during a post-match interview with hat-trick hero Jasprit Bumrah.
Hanuma Vihari dedicates Test ton to late father
Hanuma Vihari made it to the Indian Test team after he was included in the squad for India tour of West Indies. Vihari is a regular and seasoned face in the domestic circle and was rearing to go for India ever since the beginning of the year. Hanuma Vihari dedicated his maiden Test ton to his late father on Saturday. Speaking at the post-match presentation, Vihari revealed that his father had passed away when he was 12 years old and that he had decided then to dedicate his first international hundred to his late father. Vihari said that he was having an emotional day and it was a great moment for him. See Vihari's interview here:
Vihari scores maiden ton
The hosts needed 140.1 overs to bowl out the visitors. Coming on to bat at the overnight score of 42, Vihari stuck to his task and held one end together to keep India afloat after being sent into bat. Resuming at the overnight score of 264 for five, India lost Rishabh Pant (27) on the opening delivery of the day. Pant was cleaned up by Holder (5/77) with an inswinger as the batsman leaned for a drive. Thereafter, overnight batsman Vihari and the new man in Ravindra Jadeja played according to the situation to nullify any threat from the West Indies bowlers. Vihari, who resumed his knock at 42, notched up his fifty in 96 balls with the help of an inside-edge boundary off Holder in the 97th over of the innings. Jadeja did all the hard work but gave away his wicket when it mattered. He played a patient knock of 16 off 69 balls but just when it was time to carry on, he top-edged a Rahkeem Cornwall (3/105) delivery to Bravo at mid-on while going for a big slog. Vihari and Jadeja shared 38 runs off exactly 10 overs for the seventh wicket. An over later, Vihari got a big reprieve when he was dropped by Campbell off Cornwall at first slip. To add to West Indies' wounds, Vihari picked up two boundaries in the remaining balls of Cornwall's over. Vihari and Ishant continued to frustrate the West Indian bowlers after lunch with their resolute batting.
Updated 14:27 IST, September 1st 2019