3 reasons why Hanuma Vihari must play the 1st India vs South Africa Test 

One of the big headaches for India going into the 1st Test against South Africa will be whether to play Hanuma Vihari or Ajinkya Rahane in the middle order. The Indian team is already in South Africa preparing for the Test series, which will begin with the Boxing Day encounter at the SuperSport Park in Centurion.

If we try to predict Team India’s batting order for the 1st Test against the Proteas, Mayank Agarwal should open with stand-in vice-captain KL Rahul. Agarwal played two wonderful knocks in the Mumbai Test against New Zealand. With Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill unavailable due to injury, he deserves the spot at the top of the order.

Cheteshwar Pujara, skipper Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer should occupy three of the middle-order slots. The tussle for the remaining position is likely to be between Rahane and Vihari, unless India decide to drop both and go with all-rounder Shardul Thakur.

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Should Vihari replace Rahane for the Boxing Day Test?

Assuming India are looking to play a sixth batter in Centurion, we analyze three aspects why Vihari could be a better choice than Rahane.

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#1 Vihari’s recent success in South Africa

While the Indian team was busy playing New Zealand at home, Vihari was in South Africa with the India 'A' team for the three-match unofficial Test series in Bloemfontein. And the middle-order batter had a very good series, scoring 25, 54, 72*, 63 and 13. Although the quality of the 'A' team cannot match that of a Test side, Vihari definitely proved that he is in form and will be well acclimatized to the South African conditions.

The only logic behind sending Vihari to South Africa on an 'A' tour, when he clearly deserved a place in the Indian Test team that took on the Kiwis, would have been to see how he adapts to the South African challenge.

The Indian think tank knew they would need extra cushion considering how fragile the middle order currently is. Vihari grabbed the opportunity that came his way to prove a point. It is only fair that he now gets his place back in the Test playing XI.

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#2 Backing Rahane to come good would be a massive risk

How fortunes have changed for Rahane! After last year’s Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, he was the most admired cricketer in India. With the team’s backs to the wall following the Adelaide debacle, he scored a magnificent hundred, leading India in Kohli’s absence. The knock rejuvenated India as they went on to clinch the Test match in Melbourne. An inspired India also went on to claim the series with a famous win at the Gabba.

12 months down the line, Rahane isn’t even sure whether he will find a place in the playing XI for the first Test against South Africa. Since the start of 2021, he has played 12 Tests in which he has scored a paltry 411 runs at an average of 19.57 with a best of 67. Home or away, the story has not been much different. He has averaged under 20 in five Tests in England and 18.87 after playing the same number of Tests in India.

More than the numbers, it is the manner of his dismissals that has been worrying. He has got out poking outside off-stump a number of times. His footwork has been fidgety, as a result of which he has been trapped lbw frequently.

In a nutshell, Rahane has just not looked like a Test player for a number of games now. Given the circumstances, playing Rahane over Vihari in Centurion would be a massive risk India can ill-afford in such a big series.

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#3 India might need Vihari’s tenacity

In a stop-start Test career, Vihari has demonstrated that he is someone who is always ready to take on a challenge and make the most of his limited opportunities. This was evident in his debut Test itself at The Oval in 2018. Coming in at No. 6, with India under pressure, he registered a gritty half-century. Vihari should have played a lot more Tests after his impressive debut, but opportunities have been limited due to lack of vacancy in the middle order.

He was also pushed up the order during the Melbourne Test of 2018. And even though he failed to register a big score, Vihari did well enough to see off the new ball, occupying the crease for 80 and 53 minutes respectively during his two visits to the crease. Even during the tour of New Zealand in early 2020, he scored a fifty in Christchurch under bowler-friendly conditions.

Tenacity has been a hallmark of Vihari’s short Test career. This aspect of his batting is best typified by his stone-walling 161-ball 23* in Sydney at the start of the year. He batted with a torn hamstring as India pulled off a great escape. It is a pity that Vihari hasn’t played a Test since then despite being fit. His resolve is something India might need as they face a tough challenge in South Africa.