The new Indian Test cricketer Hanuma Vihari is happy to do his job well as an off-spinner on the day one of the second Test against the hosts Australia at the new Perth Stadium (Optus Stadium).
In the very crucial times of the day, Vihari picked up two important wickets (2/53) after dismissing the set batsmen Marcus Harris (70) and Shaun Marsh (45). While the visitors’ Indian cricket team has no regular spinner in the playing XI for this Test match, Vihari had to take that job and he feels happy on his performance.
At the end of the day’s play, Vihari told at the press conference, “I tried to bowl a little bit quicker because I was trying to hit the surface a little bit more and get the bounce out of the wicket. That was the main idea try to keep it tight and give the seamers a rest. I knew I would have to step up if required. Overall, I was prepared for that. I was happy I could do a job for the team.”
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Speaking more about his bowling, Vihari revealed that he bowls more in limited overs where he keeps it tight as much as possible.
Vihari added, “I have done a bit of bowling, even in the Ranji Trophy level, but more in limited overs. I know the idea of where I can make the batsmen play. I try to play with the fields I have. I want to keep it simple and try to do the job for the country. I know my role very well in the team. I try to keep it tight. If the wickets come, it is a bonus. My job is to make the batsman play a loose shot for his runs.”
After a good opening start of the 112-run partnership between the openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch, Australia once went down to 148/4. Later, Shaun Marsh and Travis Head took the crucial responsibilities to recover the hosts’ from that difficult situation as they had an important 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket. However, both lost their wickets at the last period of the day as Australia finished the day on 277/6.
Talking about the pitch, Vihari claimed that it was a slow during the first session but became lively and quickened from the second session.
When he was asked how to play on this track, Vihari replied, “For us the important thing is to not think about those aspects too much. If it is up and down, you can’t do much about it. If we can keep that out of mind, we will be successful. As batsmen, we will try to be as disciplined as possible, just how we did in the second innings of the last Test. You have to play ball by ball. That’s what matters. If you are thinking about the previous ball, you won’t react perfectly to the next ball. Keep that ball out of your mind.”
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Vihari feels that the first hour of the day two is going to be very crucial for both teams where India wants to bundle the hosts below 320 runs. The 25-year-old believes that the day one was good for them.
Vihari said, “The first hour tomorrow will be very crucial. If we get them out for below 320, we are right back in the game. If we bat well, we have a good chance. The first hour is crucial. Our only plan was to be disciplined. I think we did very well in that aspect. In all three sessions, we bounced back well. They had so many plays and misses. It happens in the game. Overall, we put in a good effort.”
At the very early third session of the day, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli grabbed a brilliant catch at the second slip to dismiss Peter Handscomb (7) for cheaply.
Vihari said about that catch, “It was a blinder. Those are the moments that change the course of the game. We needed something after lunch to change the rhythm. It was a screamer. We were lucky he had come to slip in that very over. It was meant to happen.”
