India vs Sri Lanka 1st Test Day 1 - "Very Impressive": Sunil Gavaskar Compares Hanuma Vihari With Team India Great

Hanuma Vihari made a good case for taking over the number 3 position in the India Test batting line-up with a measured knock on day 1 of the first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali. Vihari looked calm and composed as he scored a half-century, before dragging one back onto his stumps. Vihari is the only Indian top-order batter to go past the 50-run mark as the likes of Rohit Sharma (29), Mayank Agarwal (33), Virat Kohli (45) and Shteyas Iyer (27) perished after getting a start.

Speaking about Vihari's performance, former India captain and batting great Sunil Gavaskar compared him with Cheteshwar Pujara. Pujara was dropped from the Indian Test team along with Ajinkya Rahane for this series.

"He has given the same sense of calm to the Indian dressing room as Pujara used to. When Pujara was at the crease, you could breathe easy. You knew that one end would be tight," Gavaskar told Star Sports.

"He has been very impressive. Look at the straightness of the bat. Most of the runs have come from full face of the bat. Not once would the dressing room have felt any nervousness because of the way he has been batting. He has looked so good.

"Look at the time he has to get into position. Very impressive. He was impressive in South Africa where the pitches were far more difficult. The way he farmed the strike in the 2nd innings to bat with the tail and get valuable runs," he added.

Promoted

Vihari played just one Test match in South Africa and has been fighting for a place in the Test playing XI for the past couple of years. He shot to limelight with good performances on the tour of West Indies in 2019.

With the Indian team management looking to move beyond the likes of Pujara and Rahane, Vihari has a great opportunity to cement his