Ranji Trophy 2019-20 | Bowlers laid foundation for win, reckons Hanuma Vihari
Andhra skipper Hanuma Vihari has asserted that it was the bowlers who won Andhra the game against Rajasthan. Cheepurapalli Stephen and KV Sasikanth together claimed 14 of the 20 wickets while Vihari scored an important half century as Andhra beat Rajasthan comfortably by six wickets.
Vihari was extremely happy and satisfied with his team's performance against Rajasthan. Chasing 152 to win, Vihari scored an unbeaten half-century to guide his team home safely without any hiccups. But he believed that it was the bowlers who had done the actual damage to the opposition and it was due to their efforts that Andhra won comfortably.
“I feel we bowled very well yesterday, especially after tea. We came back really well. That made the difference; I thought after tea, the way we showed our attitude, the intensity was really good and that really shifted the momentum [for us],” Vihari was quoted as saying by Sportstar.
Cheepurapalli Stephen and KV Sasikanth were again the chief destroyers picking up 14 of the 20 wickets and Vihari acknowledged the importance of their consistent contributions to the team.
"The whole season they (Stephen and Sasikanth) have been bowling really well. They’re in good form and they’re bowling in the right areas. Both have a bright future, they’re young. I feel if they keep bowling the same way they’ll get recognition,” he said.
“They have the skill-set of swinging it both ways. They bowl in the right areas. That’s very important on this wicket. If you bowl in the right areas, you can put pressure on the batsmen and that it exactly what they did,” he further added.
Although the target was just 152, Andhra were in a spot of bother at one stage at 50/3 and things could have gone wrong. But Vihari made sure that Andhra reached the target safely and he was extremely satisfied with his own batting too.
"[In the] morning session, it always does something in the air and off the pitch. But we knew in the afternoon session, it will ease out a little bit, so I was waiting once we get through that period we would have some scoring opportunities. Our target wasn’t a big target, so we had to take our time and get through,” Vihari added.
