Former India opener Aakash Chopra felt bad for middle-order batter Hanuma Vihari, who lost his place in the Indian Test squad for no fault of his own. However, the cricket pundit backed the Andhra batter to fight his way back into the India XI in upcoming Tests against South Africa.
Vihari’s last Test for India was his fighting batting effort on one leg in Sydney against Australia where he played 161 balls for 23* and with R Ashwin saved the Test match for India. After recovering from injury, he was overlooked for the home New Zealand Tests and instead sent to South Africa for four-day matches with India A team.
He was also overlooked for the first Test against South Africa in Centurion as India preferred to give veterans Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane a longer rope to get their form back.
Chopra recalled Vihari’s fighting knock against Australia in Sydney where he faced 161 deliveries despite having a hamstring tear.
“He (Vihari) will be sad. Honestly speaking, I don’t want to be Hanuma Vihari right now because you don’t play me a match at home. The last time when I had played for India, my hamstring was torn, but despite that, I batted and saved India in Sydney.
After that, when the matches are there at home, you don’t play me. You play someone else at home and tell me to go to South Africa and get ready and that they will play me there. I go to South Africa and get ready as well, score runs after swallowing a bitter pill but still, you don’t play me. If you don’t want to play me, what are you doing with me?" Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra also hoped that head coach Dravid and captain Kohli must have explained the reasons to Vihari, but still felt that the batter has every right to be unhappy.
“He has got every right to be unhappy. I am sure Rahul Dravid would have spoken to him, Kohli would have also spoken and explained to him. The explanation is fine but the pain is felt only by whoever gets injured. We cannot feel what must be going through Hanuma Vihari’s mind at the moment, we can only show empathy.
I don’t think he will be very happy with the way his Test career is shaping up because he should have been played. He should have been played the Kanpur Test and probably the Centurion one also. Play him a few matches in India as well, I am not particularly happy about that," Chopra further said.
The second Test against South Africa begins on Jan 3rd in Johannesburg.
