Australia vs India: Hanuma Vihari likely to get ruled out of the last test, England Series also on doubt, Shardul Thakur likely to replace Jadeja.
Australia vs India: Team India’s hero of the drawn game, Hanuma Vihari is likely to get ruled out of the last test match against Australia at Brisbane’s Gaba. Vihari showed a tough character as he batted with the hamstring pain all throughout to take the game to the draw in Day 5.
Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari kept hold of the innings till the end of the play on the last day of the test due to which the match was considered drawn.
Hanuma Vihari was taken for the scans after the match and the scans are yet to be revealed but the senior official of the BCCI has revealed that Vihari is likely to get ruled out of the final test match.
“Vihari will need time to recover from his hamstring injury. He is likely to get ruled out as he won’t be able to recover in 4 days time. The England series of the tough batsman is also in danger,” BCCI official said.
“The extent of Vihari’s tear can only be ascertained after the scan reports come through. But even if it’s a grade 1 tear, he is out for at least four weeks and then will need some rehabilitation time. So it’s not only Brisbane Test but also, he won’t be a part of England Tests at home,” a senior source revealed on Monday.
Vihari unlikely for England Series:
Team India is unlikely to miss Hanuma Vihari in the home test series against England, India always prefers a sixth bowling option in place of Vihari. As seen in past, Vihari has not got enough chances to play at home due to the bowler preference in his place.
Vihari’s contribution will be required in the England tour where an extra batsman is always preferred over a bowler.
Team India has now two options to replace Hanuma Vihari, either play with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and keep Rishabh Pant as the pure batsman or bring in Mayank Agarwal at number 5. Prithwi Shaw who was certainly out of the form is unlikely to be considered for the replacement.
According to the sources, both Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari took multiple pain-killer to play the game after both got injured. Pant scored a firing 97 runs that pulled the game towards the visitors.
Also, as Ravindra Jadeja’s replacement Shardul Thakur is likely to be called in for the last test match. Thakur can bowl at a decent pace and he can contribute with the bat too. Chances of T Natarajan in the playing 11 are not much as Thakur provides two options.
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