Devang Gandhi comments on Hanuma Vihari's batting position in the Test squad

Former India selector Devang Gandhi has recently shared his views on Hanuma Vihari’s batting position for India in Tests, especially at home. He added that Vihari should come into the middle-order where the veteran batsman Ajinkya Rahane batted for the Sri Lanka Tests. While speaking to PTI, Gandhi said that Vihari deserves a longer run and wants him to bat at No. 6.

Devang Gandhi said: “Firstly, Vihari has played only one Test at home and he, above everyone, else deserves a fair run. Secondly, if you see for India and India A, he has batted at No. 5 abroad. But in India, he can come in at No. 6 when the spinners will be in operation and the ‘SG Test’ ball becomes relatively old.”

He further added: “Vihari has a fantastic record against spinners in the Ranji Trophy and that’s something the team management can exploit.”

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With Vihari at No. 6, Gandhi asked to promote Rishabh Pant in the batting order. He also shared that since the top-order is packed with right-handers, having a left-hander at No. 5 will be helpful for the team. With Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal in the opening, Shubman Gill at No. 3 and Virat Kohli at 4, Vihari can do well next in the batting order.

“It’s better if at No. 5 we have a left-hander” – Devang Gandhi on Hanuma Vihari’s batting position

Devang Gandhi said: “If you see our top-order, Mayank, Rohit, Shubman and Virat are all right-handers. It’s better if at No. 5 we have a left-hander to get the left-right combination going followed by Vihari at No. 6 and Ravindra Jadeja, again a left-hander at No. 7. It could be the way forward.”

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Meanwhile, veteran batters Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane have been dropped from the Test squad for India’s two-match Test series against Sri Lanka at home as well. And, as per reports, Shubman Gill and Hanuma Vihari will replace them in the Test squad. On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer, who hit a century and a fifty on Test debut, and has been in red hot form, is likely to sit outside as well.

However, apart from the two veteran batters, Team India also dropped senior pace bowler Ishant Sharma and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha and added KS Bharat as Rishabh Pant’s backup as well. The first of the two-match Test series will begin on March 4 in Mohali as well.