Speculations were rife around Hanuma Vihari on Friday as he wasn’t part of India’s Test squad announced for the two-match series at home against New Zealand. But it has emerged now that the middle-order bat is included in the India ‘A’ squad for their three-match four-day series in South Africa.
Vihari will be preparing for India’s three-match Test series against the Proteas via the ‘A’ series, starting November 23, two days before the first Test at home against New Zealand.
His initial axing from the Test squad came as a massive shock as his last innings for the country was a remarkable act of resilience and defiance. The patient batter lasted 161 balls for his 23 not out despite a torn hamstring to help India save the New Year’s Test in Sydney against Australia.
The batter had to miss the subsequent Test in Brisbane as well as the entire home series versus England. Vihari returned for the elongated summer in the UK, where India played the World Test Championship final with New Zealand and a series against England but warmed the benches throughout.
Vihari’s exclusion from the home series versus Kiwis came as a shock to many as lack of communication from the BCCI led to speculations that the player has been dropped. But now it is confirmed that the selectors and the team management wish to give Vihari ideal preparations for the next overseas assignment in South Africa.
Vihari, it must be remembered here, has been an overseas Test specialist plus a back-up middle-order bat for India since the start of his challenging career. The 28-year-old has played only one home Test and averages 32.84 for his 624 runs, which includes, apart from the SCG epic, many other difficult knocks in the most challenging conditions across Australia, England, New Zealand and West Indies.
The upcoming tour of South Africa will be the first for Vihari to the rainbow nation. India A’s three four-day matches will be played from November 23 to December 9 in Bloemfontein. The series concludes eight days before the first Test of the Gandhi-Mandela Trophy in Johannesburg.
India will play further two Tests – in Centurion and Cape Town – and three ODIs, four T20Is on their full tour of South Africa.
