Hanuma Vihari demonstrated exceptional fortitude as the Andhra Pradesh star batted with a fractured wrist in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against reigning champions Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.
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Hanuma Vihari demonstrated exceptional fortitude as the Andhra Pradesh star batted with a fractured wrist in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against reigning champions Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday. Vihari, who suffered a broken wrist after being hit by an Avesh Khan delivery, was forced to retire hurt when batting on 16. Vihari’s injury was revealed after he was taken for scans. On the second day of Andhra Pradesh’s Ranji Trophy quarter-final match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore, Hanuma Vihari relived his SCG heroics, batting left-handed after breaking his left wrist to keep his team’s first innings alive.
Vihari batted with a torn hamstring in Sydney to help India win the Test alongside R Ashwin. This time, he returned to the field after missing the previous game due to a fractured left wrist sustained while attempting to fight off an Avesh Khan bouncer. Not only that, but when he returned, he batted left-handed to protect his left arm, which would have faced the bowler had he batted right-handed. Mohan kept much of the strike near the end of the session to ensure Vihari didn’t suffer any more harm to his wrist. Vihari’s season has been a mixed bag, with 475 runs scored in 13 innings at an average of 39.58 and two half-centuries.
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Vihari was on 16 off 37 balls when he was taken out, and X-rays indicated a fracture. Vihari was advised at the time that he would be out for five to six weeks, according to ESPNcricinfo. The team’s management agreed that he would bat only if necessary. Andhra appeared to have done well enough for Vihari to keep away for much of the first day and the first hour of the second day on Wednesday, thanks to centuries from Ricky Bhui (149) and Karan Shinde (110). At one point, they were 323 for 2. But there was a collapse soon after Bhui and Shinde fell, as Andhra went from 328 for 4 to 353 for 9.
Vihari came at this time and took guard as a left-handed hitter to protect his damaged wrist. With his left hand completely wrapped, he tapped deliveries back almost totally with his right hand. Vihari had put on 26 runs in nearly ten overs with No. 9 Lalith Mohan at lunch, as Andhra reached 379 for 9. Saransh Jain trapped Vihari lbw for 27 and they were bowled out on that score first ball after lunch. Vihari played out a full Avesh over and hit two more boundaries before noon, adding to his overnight tally of three, including a steer off Avesh to the point boundary. He even forced offspinner Jain to point for his second boundary of the game.
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