Hanuma Vihari first Indian in 29 years to achieve this feat, 5th overall
Hanuma Vihari became the first Indian batsman in 29 years to emulate the great Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday during the second Test against West Indies at Kingston, Jamaica.
Vihari is now the first since Tendulkar to score a hundred and a fifty in the same Test while batting at No. 6 or lower and fifth overall. Tendulkar achieved the feat against England in 1990 and registered scores of 68 and 119 in a Test in Manchester.
Vihari on the other hand, hit an unbeaten 53 in the second innings of the second Test to add to his 111 in the first innings at Sabina Park to join the elite list.
Polly Umrigar was the first Indian to hit a hundred and a fifty in the same Test. He scored 56 in the first innings and 172 not out in the second during a Test match against West Indies in 1962. Tiger Pataudi was next to achieve the feat during a Test against England in 1967. He scored 64 in the first innings and followed it up with 148 in his second essay. ML Jaisimha also managed the same feat against the Three Lions in 1968, when he hit 68 and 119 not out respectively.
Vihari has been in good form in Windies and his bat has managed to silence the critics, who thought it is better to play Rohit Sharma than the Andhra batter.
The 25-year-old is the top-scorer in the ongoing two-Test series with 289 runs at an average of 96.33. He has scored a hundred and two fifties.
Following his hundred in the first innings, Vihari opened up about his form and dedicated it to his late father.
"Actually, my dad passed away when I was 12. Ever since I decided that when I play international cricket, I would dedicate my first hundred to my dad and today is an emotional day. I hope he is proud wherever he is," Vihari said on Saturday.
"When you're batting at No. 6, your intent should always be positive. That's a position where you will be batting with one batsman and then if a wicket falls, the wicketkeeper and then the lower-order. My mindset was always positive," Vihari said about the challenges of batting at No. 6.
"I walked in when Virat Kohli was batting. I could rub off the confidence which he was showing," he added.
"It's not been easy. All my Tests have come overseas. Playing away is a tough challenge but I am a sort of person who relishes challenges."
