IND vs SA | Hanuma Vihari deserves to bat ahead of Shreyas Iyer in overseas Tests, feels Sanjay Bangar

12/13/2021

Former India player Sanjay Bangar has said that Hanuma Vihari would be a better choice than Shreyas Iyer and should bat ahead of him in the overseas Tests ahead of India’s tour to South Africa. Vihari has scored 624 runs from 12 Tests at an average of 32.84 with one hundred and four fifties.

India are scheduled to tour South Africa for three Tests and three one-dayers starting from December 26. The team for the series has been announced and Shreyas Iyer, as well as Hanuma Vihari both, have been included in the squad. Shreyas Iyer had an impressive debut Test series against New Zealand at home where he scored 202 runs. He also became the first Indian to score a hundred and follow it up with a fifty.

Vihari has experience of 12 Tests and scored 624 runs with an average of 32.84 with one hundred and four fifties. With both Vihari and Iyer included in the squad, selectors might face some selection dilemma as the middle order is stacked with three senior batsmen Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane. Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar feels that Vihari should deserves a chance to bat ahead of Shreyas Iyer in an overseas Test match.

"If the choice has to be between Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari, I would tilt towards Hanuma Vihari because of the kind of service he has done. He deserves that chance to bat ahead of Shreyas Iyer in an overseas Test match," Bangar said on Star Sports' show Game Plan.

Vihari has vast experience of playing in Australia (6), England (1), and New Zealand (2). He also played a crucial role in the Sydney Test of the historic series which India won by 2-1 earlier this year. Bangar praised Vihari for his hard work in Test cricket.

"Look at Hanuma Vihari. He is somebody who has played the hard yards, who has got a hundred in West Indies, he saved a Test match for you in Sydney,” he concluded.

"Whenever he was asked to open the innings, he did that. He played on a single leg to save a Test match and he got a hundred.”