As R Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari pulled off a memorable draw for Team, a tweet by Union Minister of BJP Babul Supriyo was seen criticizing the latter triggered outrage among cricket fans. On the final day of the third Test against Australia, Indian middle-order batsman Hanuma Vihari, along with veteran Indian spinner, Indian cricketer R Ashwin, showed once again why Test cricket is rated as the purest and most challenging form of cricket as the two batsmen pulled off a memorable draw for Ajinkya Rahane & his men.
With most of the players have sustained injuries, to make matters worse, Vihari struggled with struggling with his hamstring tear quite early in his innings as he could barely run. Despite that, as he went off to bat for 161 deliveries, a tweet from Union Minister Babul Supriyo triggered outrage on social media.
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Given the scenario, with 5 set batsmen back in the hut, it was more important for the Indian team to draw the game. That’s what Vihari did as he faced 161 deliveries and scored just 23 runs. However, Supriyo criticized the Indian batsman for his slow approach and said Vihari had ‘murdered cricket’ by scoring just 7 runs off the first 109 balls he faced.
The BJP Minister wrote: “Playing 109 balls to score 7 !That is atrocious to say the least•Hanuma Bihari has not only killed any Chance for India to achieve a historic win but has also murdered Cricket.. not keeping win an option, even if remotely, is criminal. PS: I know that I know nothing abt cricket.”
Playing 109 balls to score 7 !That is atrocious to say the least•Hanuma Bihari has not only killed any Chance for India to achieve a historic win but has also murdered Cricket.. not keeping win an option, even if remotely, is criminal.
PS: I know that I know nothing abt cricket— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) January 11, 2021
In his defense, Supriyo went on to add that had Vihari hit only bad balls for boundaries, India would have gone on to win the game comfortably.Â
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The BJP leader added, “If Hanuma showed this little initiative of just standing& hitting the BAD BALLS for boundaries, India may hv got this historic win GIVEN that Pant did what no one expected•And, I am reiterating that it’s ONLY the bad balls that cud hv been hit given Hanuma was set batman by then”.
If Hanuma showed this little initiative of just standing& hitting the BAD BALLS for boundaries, India may hv got this historic win GIVEN that Pant did what no one expected•And, I am reiterating that it's ONLY the bad balls that cud hv been hit given Hanuma was set batman by then https://t.co/C8Z5YKOHCk
— Babul Supriyo (@SuPriyoBabul) January 11, 2021
Supriyo’s tweet on Vihari created a huge outrage on social media as cricket fans asked him to focus on politics.
It will be better minister and MP sir if you focus on politics more than saying something about a player who is giving his everything even after getting injured.
— Subham (@subhsays) January 11, 2021
Nothing wrong in being ignorant but announcing it to the world so blatantly is outrageous.
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) January 11, 2021
Hanuma Vihari has hamstring injury but aapko to dimaagi moch aayi lagti hai. He still played those many balls to at least avoid the test loss but you can't even spell his name correct.
— Kiran/‎کرن/किरण (@Chivas_Desi) January 11, 2021
