Hanuma Vihari should be considered ahead of Shreyas Iyer in South Africa Tests: Sanjay Bangar

Team India will have to take some tough selection calls in the upcoming three-match Test series against South Africa. The biggest dilemma would be deciding the number-five batter. Ajinkya Rahane has been serving at that position since the last few years. However, a significant dip in form saw him earning massive criticism from different quarters. He was even stripped off as India’s vice-captain in the longest format.

While Rahane hold onto his place in the squad for South Africa Tests, many fans and experts reckon he shouldn’t be considered in the starting XI. Shreyas Iyer is the front-runner to take the number-five spot as he slammed a century on Test debut in the recently-concluded series against New Zealand. However, former Indian batter Sanjay Bangar believes Hanuma Vihari should be considered ahead of Iyer.

Making his Test debut in 2018, Vihari has played 12 matches in the format, 11 overseas, and scored 624 runs at an average of 32.84 with one hundred and four fifties. As Vihari has been part of the set-up since a while, Bangar feels he should be awarded with a substantial run in the playing XI.

Hanuma Vihari is somebody who has played the hard yards: Sanjay Bangar

“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. Bangar, who’s also India’s former batting coach, also recalled how Vihari saved the Sydney Test earlier this year.

“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 added.

India’s Test squad for South Africa tour:Virat Kohli (Captain), Rohit Sharma (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (wk), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), R Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Shami, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Md. Siraj.

Standby Players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.