Here's why Virat Kohli chose Hanuma Vihari over Rohit Sharma
Indian fans were conspicuous of skipper Virat Kohli after he chose to field Hanuma Vihari over Rohit Sharma in the just-concluded first Test against Windies in Antigua. Rohit was in fine form in the limited-overs format and was being backed for another role in the Tests as well. However, Kohli chose Vihari, while the latter didn't disappoint. Meanwhile, Kohli explained his decision.
Vihari got the nod for the best team combination: Kohli
Kohli firmly explained that the reason to give Vihari the nod was to form the best combination for the side. While he also credited his part-time bowling effectiveness, Kohli said that the team is always decided following a group discussion. "There will always be opinions about the XI, but people will know that it's in the interest of the team," said Kohli.
Kohli hails contribution of decisions by others
Speaking further, Kohli insisted that while the final decision lies with him, the execution is done by the others and it is the very reason for the success of the team. "It's a blessing that I am in a position where I can contribute to the team in more than one way, but nothing is possible without your team.," Kohli further added.
Vihari justified his selection with twin decent knocks
While there were apprehensions regarding Vihari's selection and performance, he did well to shut the critics up. While he played an average knock of 32 in the opening innings, he was brilliant in the second innings and scored a subtle 93. He shared a brilliant 135-run stand with Ajinkya Rahane and that was crucial for India's second innings lead in excess of 400.
Vihari likely to retain his spot in 2nd Test
As Vihari emphatically justified his selection with twin fine knocks, this has most likely sealed his spot in the playing XI for the upcoming second Test as well. However, it still remains to be seen whether Rohit gets the nod in the side. While it looks like a tough call, the author believes Rohit might sneak in for Mayank Agarwal.
