Karnataka on shaky ground against Punjab despite Rahul's fifty; Desai puts Saurashtra on cusp of win
'When the team is struggling, he is the one who wants to step up and play that important innings.'
Shubman Gill's run-a-ball 83 was the only high point for India 'A' as New Zealand 'A' grabbed the opening day honours in their first unofficial Test, in Christchurch, on Thursday. The Indians were all out for 216 in their first innings before the hosts responded strongly as they reached 105 for two at the close of play.
The IPL franchises may have turned him down but Team India's Test specialist Hanuma Vihari is all set to prepare for the six-match Test series in England later this year by competing for English county side Warwickshire.
The BCCI is trying to work out the logistics to smoothly transfer the squad from one bio-bubble in the UAE to another in Australia where they might have to go for a two-week quarantine unless the rules are relaxed.
Akshath Reddy and Hanuma Vihari helped Hyderabad close in on Mumbai's first-innings total, but were unfortunate to miss what would have been well-deserved double centuries, in their Ranji Trophy match in Hyderabad on Monday. Opener Reddy scored 196 after spending 576 minutes in the middle, while Vihari scored 191 during his 496-minute knock, as Hyderabad finished the third day on 423 for 3 in reply to Mumbai's 443 at the Rajiv Gandhi stadium.
Hanuma Vihari's primary skill is batting but he is now trying to sharpen his off-breaks in order to fit in as the 'fifth bowler' in India's Test set-up.
'I have not played a Test at home, looking forward to it. It's great to play in front of the home crowd back in India'
Mumbai youngster Prithvi Shaw and Andhra batsman Hanuma Vihari were the two surprise inclusion in India's squad for the last two Tests of the ongoing five-match series against England.
Images from Day 2 of the second Test between West Indies and India, in Jamaica, on Saturday.
Kuldeep Yadav, among all the players in this team, has more experience of playing with pink ball and the kind of revolution he produces, he could make it difficult for batsmen to spot the black seam of the pink kookaburra under lights.
Deepak Hooda smashed a brilliant double hundred to put Rajasthan in control as they took a massive lead against Mumbai on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D match.
Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith believe that Virat Kohli is an Australian in the way he thinks, acts, and has the desire to perform in big games.
Hanuma Vihari dedicated his maiden Test century to his late father, keeping a promise he made to himself right after he lost one of his favourites 13 years ago. Apart from remembering his father, Vihari thanked pacer Ishant Sharma for batting, at times, better than the recognised batsman at the other end during their partnership in the second Test against the West Indies.
Vihari has a Grade 2 tear which has not only ruled him out of the final game, but also puts him in doubt for the England games
Skipper Virat Kohli is impressed with Hanuma Vihari's temperament, as the youngster's self-belief spreads a sense of calm in the dressing room when he is out there in the middle. Vihari was undoubtedly India's find of the West Indies Test series. He emerged the top run-getter with 289 runs that included a century and two half-centuries.
Hanuma Vihari wanted to utilise the summer months playing county cricket in England but the COVID-19 pandemic has put paid to the India all-rounder's plans for the time being.
Fit again Ravindra Jadeja and Hanuma Vihari made their way back into the Indian Test squad, while all-rounder Hardik Pandya was left out for next month's IIC World Test Championship final against New Zealand and the five-match series against England.
Vihari, who had kept his base price at Rs 50 lakh, found himself in the unsold bracket.
Hanuma Vihari looks set to bat at number six in the first Day/Night Test at Adelaide.
'If you see the way Vihari has bowled he has looked like picking up a wicket whenever he comes to bowl. He's pitching the ball in the right areas so we are looking at him as a solid bowling option right now'
The Maharaja Trophy, the state's top franchise-based T20 tournament, was also moved outside Bengaluru as police had rejected KSCA's proposal to host it behind closed doors. The tournament was played in Mysore behind closed doors.
It is interesting to note that both Mayank and Vihari have not lived up to the expectation
Ajinkya Rahane, who has not scored a hundred in more than two years, got back among the runs with a patient innings of 54.
Hanuma Vihari's role as an opener is a stop-gap one and he will be given enough opportunities in his preferred middle-order spot should he fail at the top, assured chairman of selectors MSK Prasad.
'We only felt that it has never happened before, I don't think it will ever happen again. It was a freak inning'
A lot of Indian cricketers have been doing their bit, ranging from making financial donations to helping people procure essential medical care.
Hanuma Vihari said he won't mind taking up the opener's role if the team management asks after India's inexperienced opening options were technically exposed by a second-string New Zealand XI attack on the opening day of the warm-up game in Hamilton, on Friday. Coming in at No. 6, Vihari scored a hundred but Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill were dismissed early, undone by the extra bounce and seam movement during the match against New Zealand XI.
Rajneesh Gupta presents the interesting numbers from the second day of Kingston Test between West Indies and India
Vihari knows it will be a fight to get into the playing XI but he is ready to don the role of a finisher the same way he agreed to open for India in unfamiliar conditions in Melbourne.
Middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari on Tuesday accepted that making a return to the Indian team is tough, and getting dropped at times could affect a player's mindset.
Vihari has credited his success in the second Test against the West Indies to Ravi Shastri
Jharkhand''s Kumar Kushagra slams double-ton against Baroda in Ranji Trophy
Vihari said he has been preparing for the South Africa series at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
Riding on scintillating centuries by Prithvi Shaw and Hanuma Vihari, India A scored a crushing 203-run victory over West Indies A to make the final of the Tri-Series one-day tournament, in Northampton, on Friday.
Vihari, who made 54 in the last match, continued with his form and brought India A back on track after they were reduced to 18 for two in 7.1 overs.
Rohit Sharma and Hanuma Vihari will battle for a place in the Indian team for the first Test.
As Ravichandran Ashwin achieved the milestone 100th Test in Mohali, everyone had their lists of his best bowling feats. But Ashwin's finest cricketing moment was probably when he and Hanuma Vihari battled inhuman injury to draw the Sydney Test against Australia after India were bowled out for 36 in the first Test at Adelaide.
The Indian team underwent some fielding drills as they continued their preparations for the Test series in Australia.
'It helps me get into a mindset that I have nothing to lose and play accordingly.'
