3 reasons why Hanuma Vihari can make a comeback in India's Test side

Hanuma Vihari has expressed his disappointment over not getting selected in the test side but is hopeful at the same time to make a comeback into the same

Once seen as a replacement for Cheteshwar Pujara at number three, Hanuma Vihari says that he's only thinking about improving his game to score runs and make a comeback for the Test team.

Hanuma Vihari told ESPNcricinfo after Andhra Pradesh beat Bihar in a Ranji Trophy encounter:

"I do feel sad and disappointed that I am not in the Test team, but everyone goes through ups and downs, and my job now is to score runs in the Ranji Trophy."

Despite him chipping in with some key contributions to the Indian team in his 16-Test nascent career, Vihari didn't get the backing and the long rope that some of the others have managed to get, which has been a talking point among cricket enthusiasts and experts.

Hanuma Vihari played predominantly in overseas tests and had a mixed bag of results before he was dropped in 2022 due to poor form.

From saving the Sydney Test against Australia in 2021 to scoring a gritty century at Jamaica in 2019 against the West Indies, Vihari did have his share of moments in international cricket. but his struggle against moving deliveries cut short his stay at this level.

In the ongoing Ranji Trophy, Hanuma Vihari has walked the talk and has contributed well to Andhra Pradesh's stupendous performance, scoring 365 runs in seven innings, behind only new captain Ricky Bhui's 550 for the team.

In this article, we will look at some of the reasons why Vihari can make a return to the Indian Test side.

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#3 Indian Test side is going through a transition

If we look at the current Indian test side, then it's visible that the team is looking for ideal replacements for some of the big names on the verge of the end of their respective careers.

In the absence of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, the Indian middle order appears to be light and weak.

Since the WTC 2023 final, the Indian middle-order runs-to-pet wicket ratio has been 28.43, way behind England's 45.87, which clearly indicates that the former struggles to maintain a long partnership.

With Hanuma Vihari making quality runs in the domestic circuit, Indian management should look at one of the options.

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#2 Tried-out batsmen fail to make any significant mark

Indian test management has tried out different permutations and combinations and tried out many players in the middle order, giving them more extended rope than expected to fill the void of Pujara and Rahane, but to no avail. Players' injuries didn't help their cause either.

Shreyas Iyer averages 13.50 in the last 10 innings he has played, while KS Bharat has also wasted his opportunity by scoring only 221 runs in 7 tests at an average of 20.09.

The inclusion of a player in Hanuma Vihari who has international experience may solve the middle-order issues of the management.

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#1 Hanuma Vihari has worked on his weaknesses

When Hanuma Vihari was dropped from the national team in 2021, he had his share of issues with moving balls, with him committing too early and planting his front foot too early to play with hands only.

This used to make him a prime suspect for LBWs. Also, he used to get into an awkward position against short balls, which caused him inconsistency.

To work on these, Vihari signed a deal with Warwickshire in 2021 and played a couple of seasons for them. With improved technique against pace and a reliant spin game, he's what the Indian test team desperately needs right now.