Ishant Sharma and Hanuma Vihari have got high praise from India’s former batsman, VVS Laxman for their exceptional displays. Both Vihari and Ishant were impressive in India’s whitewash over West Indies. Ishant Sharma, after struggling initially in Tests, has evolved with time and is now bowling as well as he has ever done.
Ishant is someone, who bowls accurately and builds up pressure from one end. Ishant took 11 wickets in two Tests at an average of 12.27 against West Indies.
“While he is the leader of the attack, it was wonderful to see Ishant maintain his consistency of the last few years, as well as put a price on his wicket. I am sure he must have been as delighted with his maiden half-century as a five-wicket haul. He and Shami are experienced pros, and form alongside Bumrah a pace attack as good as, if not better than, any going around in world cricket.” Laxman wrote in a column for Times of India.
Hanuma Vihari also emerged as one of the stand-out performers for India in the series. He, in fact, was the highest run-getter from either side. He made 289 runs with the help of a century and two fifties.
“There is so much to admire about the brand of cricket India played, and no one exemplified it better than Hanuma Vihari with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball. I have followed Vihari’s career closely. I am convinced the years of first-class cricket have instilled the temperament and mindset to score runs consistently in Test cricket,” Laxman wrote.
He added, “Speaking from experience, I can say that batting at No. 6 is not an easy task. But Vihari has been at home, enhancing his reputation as a Test batsman with every outing. He is very calm and mature at the crease, looks to dominate the spinners with exemplary use of the feet, and is assured against fast bowling. I look forward to greater things from him.