Hanuma Vihari cementing his place in the Indian side one game at a time

Ahead of India's Test series against South Africa, PRASENJIT DEY talks to the India batsman about the start of his international career

We often associate success with reaching a particular destination or a position in life. However, it is a process that never stops. A method that demands hard work, discipline and persistence for its sustenance.

Hanuma Vihari, one of India's latest Test recruits, understands that very well. After his fabulous outing in the Caribbean, during which he top-scored with 289 runs at an average of 96.33, one would feel that he has cemented his place in the Indian Test side. But the 25-year-old doesn't take anything for granted.

For, he always takes it 'one game at a time'. Whether it was about making his debut as a specialist middle-order batsman at The Oval or starting as a makeshift opener only in his third Test at Melbourne, Vihari has always put his best foot forward.

In an exclusive interview with The Cricketer, Vihari spoke about the importance of being flexible as a cricketer at this level, the things that he has learnt from his stint with the Indian team so far and how he is preparing for the upcoming home series against South Africa.

How do you feel when you look back at your performances in the tour of West Indies, where you enjoyed such a fine series?

It feels great when I look back at it. Contributing to an overseas series win right at the start of the Test Championship means a lot to me. It can't get better than this. But again there is a lot more to come in the future, so I can't really get satisfied by it. I want to keep my head down and fully focus on preparing for the upcoming series again.

Your maiden century took some time to come and, that too, after three grueling overseas tours. You seemed quite ecstatic after bringing up your ton as well. It must have been a dream come true for you…

It has always been a dream to score a Test century for India and I was really ecstatic to achieve that. It was a great moment for me and as you could see from the way I celebrated, I was really excited.

You had narrowly missed out on a century in the previous innings. So, what was going on in your mind while approaching your century this time?

I wasn't really thinking about what happened in the last match. Even when I got dismissed for 93 in the previous innings, I was disappointed for a while but I was also really happy with the way I contributed because we were at stage where we wanted to accelerate and I could do that comfortably.

So, I was happy with that innings and even in the second match I was thinking about getting a big score for the team rather than thinking about my individual hundred.

It was just when I got close that I started thinking about it, but before that my only thought was to stitch a big partnership with Ishant (Sharma) in order to get a big score for the team.

^{Vihari reached his maiden Test century against West Indies}

When you walked into this Indian side, you were averaging nearly 60 in first-class cricket. You even scored a fifty on debut but couldn't convert your starts thereafter, until this tour of the Caribbean. So, looking at the competition for spots in the Indian side, did you feel a little heat from the statistical point of view?

Not at all. I don't really think about competition or losing my place in the side. Whatever is meant to happen will happen. But I try to do my best every time I am on the ground and have the bat in hand.

I focus on my performance and leave the rest on the concerned people to decide. I play according to the demands of the situation, try to fulfill the needs of the scenario without focusing too much on the numbers.

Even though the numbers were not in your favour, you played a big role during the tours of England and Australia when match situations are taken into account. Virat Kohli has also openly acknowledged your contributions. How does it feel to be in a setup that is so supporting?

It feels great, you know. When the captain and the management supports you so much, there is hardly anything else you need.

A player always needs support in the early part of his international career and I have been really fortunate to get that support and backing in the last year. And I am also happy that I have been able to repay the faith they have shown in me all this while.

I learnt that your mother stayed up all night to watch you bring up your maiden century. How involved has she been with your cricket since your childhood?

My mother has been involved with my career a lot since my childhood. She has always supported me and watched my games on TV. She even watched every bit of these two games against West Indies.

I can't even sum up how important a role she has played in shaping my career and I am grateful to her for being what I am today.

Did you call her up after the end of day's play? What was her reaction?

Yeah, it was early morning in India. I called her up and she was very happy. I could feel how happy she was from her words and the way she spoke. You know, these are the moments you live for. She was happy for my success and I was happy knowing that she was happy.

You dedicated this century to your late father. Would you like to shed light on his role in your life and the things you learnt from him?

It was very early in my life. I was very young when I lost him. So, it's a bit tough to recollect everything he told me. At that time, I didn't also have the consciousness to understand everything but one thing I always felt was that he was really supporting as a father.

He let me pursue my dreams and never stopped me from doing what I wanted to do in life. I am sure that he would have been very happy and proud if he would have been here today.

You started your career under the tutelage of Ramakrishnan Sridhar, who is India's fielding coach now. So, how is it like to have him around you even at this level?

It gives a level of comfort. Whenever I need an advice, I can always rely on him. He is someone who knows me and whom I know very well. So, I can always fall back on him and ask him for advice.

It's really nice having him around even in the Indian team. He was there when I began my career as a kid and, that day, he watched me getting my first hundred for my country as well. I feel really fortunate to have him by my side. I am sure he would be very proud of me.

^{Vihari made his Test debut against England in 2018}

In your short career so far, you have batted as a middle-order batsman, you have opened, you have bowled and succeeded in picking up wickets too. So, you have succesfully done whatever has been asked of you. Do you think this flexibility is your biggest strength?

Yeah, you have to be flexible when you reach this level. You can't be adamant that you will bat in a certain position or play one certain role only. Whatever the team requires you will have to be open to do it.

And I'll always do that irrespective of whether I am playing my 10th match or 100th match for the team.

So, looking at how India is struggling in finding proper openers at the Test level now, would you take up the role if you are asked once again?

I'll definitely take it up if I am asked. I won't think twice. Whatever the team needs, I am up for it.

And India is facing a similar situation with its middle-order in the shorter formats as well. So, are you preparing yourself for that role as well?

I am not thinking that much at the moment. I just want to take it one game at a time. I am just focusing on giving my best and whatever has to happen will happen. I don't stress on thinking about something that I can't control. So, I focus on my performance and the rest of the things will fall into place automatically.

You spent quite some time with legends like Sourav Ganguly and Ricky Ponting during your stint with the Delhi Capitals. What was that like?

They have their own way of reading the game which is quite unique and that's what I tried to learn. How they read the game and how they analyse everything, so I just tried to pick the best I could from them and move forward because everyone knows the basics at this level.

All you can learn from different people is their way of thinking and reading different situations, and that gives you a new perspective towards the game too.

India's next assignment is against South Africa at home and Kagiso Rabada is someone whom you have seen at close quarters during your stint with the Capitals. Are you looking forward to that?

Rabada is a world class bowler and everyone knows that. Facing him would be a challenge and I am really looking forward to it.

But I am not preparing for him or any other bowler in particular. In fact, it's not about the bowler, it's about the situation and the ball being bowled. If you can gauge these two things well, you can come out on top on most occasions. So, that's what I prepare for.