At the start of Day 3 of the fifth and final Test between England and India at the Kia Oval, the visitors were in deep trouble as the scorecard read 174-6, a solid 158 runs behind the home team’s total. Joy Root & Co. were eyeing a huge lead in the first innings, but Hanuma Vihari and Ravindra Jadeja had different plans.
For the seventh wicket, the duo added useful 77 runs before the departure of Vihari for 56 runs. Even after the debutant’s dismissal, Jadeja continued his exploits with the bat and went to make an unbeaten 86. And as a result of both the half-centuries, India managed to score 292 runs in their first innings, which is just 40 runs less than England’s first innings total.
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the efforts of Ravindra Jadeja and Hanuma Vihari:
Sir Ravindra Jadeja take a bow!
The all-rounder is shepherding the tail expertly, and is ꩵcurrently unbeaten on 86, having unfurled his trademark swashbuckling celebration on reaching 50.
India are 292/9 and trailing by 40.
Follow live ⬇️
— ICC (@ICC)
Love the way plays the game … Somehow India have to find a way to play him all the time … Great skills …
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan)
Well done should have played earlier in the series things couldꦏ 𝔉have been different.. 4 wickets and a brilliant 50.. keep going pal
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh)
Top kno꧂ck from Hanuma, first of many to ✅come I hope 👏👏👏
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7)
Watching him bat, guess Vihari’s defensive game went in his favour. Team management must be 𝐆given credit for th🅘e unorthodox selection. Must also give credit where it’s due.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar)
Fifty on debut. Well played, Hanuma Vihari. Hopefully first of📖 ma🍒ny 👏👏
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash)
//twiꦓtter.com/fakingnews/status/1038783398045728769
Very happy for Hanuma Vihari. Showed a lot of guts an♑d determination and could be a really valuable asset in the middle order going for♕ward.
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif)
Well played Jadeja, almost the top scorer in the game and he keeps India in the game. I think he will target the rough and get India really back in this, let's see.
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS)
Ravindra Jadeja removed the dust from his sword and then swung it in trademark styl💮e. Keep going, Sir.
— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket)
Ind’s last wkt frustrates Eng no end…mediocrity of English Captncy surfaces ever so blatantly..good job R Jadeja knocks Indn think tank w/plenty o guts & gusto..Oval Test could well produce more heroics..let’s wait w/abated breath..!!!
— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi)
How tragi💫c Jadeja should be stran🍎ded so close to what would have been a fantastic century. Played with gr8 poise, cleverness and maturity, specially with tailenders 40 runs lead not insignificant, but India will take heart they got so close
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah)
Cheteshwar Pujara proved himself at Southampton by scoring a century and now Ravi Jadeja is proving himself at🧸 Kenningto♏n Oval first with a 4-for and now with a fifty!
Never doubt Saurashtra boys!
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman)
The last time an Indian player had a 80+ innings & 4 wickets innings haul in♚ the same Test in SENA countries -before Ravindra Jadeja today- was in 1992 at the MCG. The player to do so was the current coach Ravi Shastri!
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket)
Hanuma Vihari (56) now the fourth Indian to register a fifty-plus score in h💟is Test debut inns in England after Rusi Modi (57* in 1946), Sourav 🥀Ganguly (131 in 1996) & Rahul Dravid (95 in 1996).
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman)
A good comeback game for here. Tight with the ball and bat. Also, impressed by how Hanuma 🎐Vihari applied himself at the crease. Well deserved 50.
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh)
I haven't seen Sir twirl his bat since Dharamsala. I feel whole again.
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell)
