Unaware of what was going on around me when I got news of my debut, says Hanuma Vihari
In the Indian domestic circuit, there have been a few batsmen who have been doing well on a consistent basis for a while now. One such batsman is Hanuma Vihari and the right-hander was deservingly named in the Indian squad for the last two Tests against England and even went on to make his debut against the Poms in the fifth Test at The Oval.
He scored a gritty 56 in the first innings as he saw off the threat posed by James Anderson and Ben Stokes late on day 2. In the second innings, he failed to open his account but in spite of that, he is likely to get a long run with the national team, thanks to his domestic performances.
Talking about his memorable moment, Vihari said that he was personally happy and he would have liked to have ended up on the winning side.
"It (India debut) was good. Making my debut at the Oval was really fantastic. The match went well for me but I wished we would have won the match. Personally, I could do what I did and was very happy for it. I was just focussing on what I need to do. I was not aware of what was going on around me when I got the news of my debut. I was just thinking about what I should do," he said in an interview with Sportskeeda.
He was named in the India squad to face West Indies in the two-match series that starts on October 4 and is likely to be named in the squad for India's tour of Australia. Talking about his short-term goals, Vihari said he is looking to do well in the upcoming games even though he has set his sights on the tour Down Under.
"After the tour of England, I played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and then I am going to represent Board President's XI against West Indies (the ongoing match). I am just thinking about how to perform and make my team win. Having said that, I have an eye on the series against Australia if I am picked but now, my focus is on doing well in the BP XI game and against West Indies if I get a chance," he added.
He is likely to bat at number 6 in the home series against West Indies and will have a key role to play as India's third spinner if needed. A decent outing in the two matches will put him on the flight to Australia later this year.