Hanuma Vihari and Ravichandran Ashwin
Reminiscing his gritty batting show at the SCG, India's Hanuma Vihari said that he and Ravichandran Ashwin never realised about their achievement while being in the middle. The Vihari-Ashwin duo stitched a 62-run stand to pull off a remarkable draw in Sydney and keep the Test series alive at 1-1.
Vihari, who batted with a sore hamstring throughout the course of his innings, showed great resilience and remained unbeaten on 23 after facing 161 deliveries. He was supported brilliantly by Ashwin, who also suffered a lot of blows on his body but didn't throw away his wicket and remained unbeaten on 39 from 128 deliveries.
"Me and Ashwin never realised what we were doing -- in terms of how big an achievement it was. He and I batted for about 45 overs against all odds. To be able to survive on a Day 5 pitch against that bowling attack...
To be able to be in the present helped me because I realised that I had an injury, and I can't run. The only thing I could do from that situation was to bat time and cut down the overs and make sure we drew that game," Vihari said on Star Sports' show Follow The Blues.
"That was the only thing on my mind, playing for my spot was never my intention. I was only batting according to the situation of the game. I somehow felt that I owed the team that innings because the trust they have shown in me in the first couple of games, and then they gave me an opportunity in the third game as well. So, I somehow felt in the tea break that I owe them big time and I am happy I could do it," he added.
Vihari, who subsequently was ruled out from the fourth and final Test due to a hamstring tear, also revealed that he and Ashwin communicated in multiple languages during their resilient stand.
"Ashwin and I spoke like in three or four languages when we were playing. It was nice, it was a very unique experience to be able to bat with him. Basically, we share a good rapport, both on and off the field.
But to be able to build a partnership with him, not in terms of runs, but in terms of balls... Actually, he was batting from one end, he was facing Lyon pretty comfortably so that somehow made things easier. I was able to face the fast bowlers with ease, so it somehow made the equation a little simpler for us and we were communicating well between the overs," said Vihari
