Indian batter Hanuma Vihari has lavished praise on Axar Patel and Washington Sundar after India claimed a six-wicket win against England at Edgbaston, Birmingham, on Tuesday. Patel scored a fine knock of 57 runs off 52 balls in the run chase of 259 with the help of five fours and one six.
He added 105 runs off 102 balls with Washington Sundar to get India over the line after India lost the wickets of Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in quick time. Ergo, he was awarded Player of the Match for his all-round performance.
Sundar also delivered with the bat, scoring a fine knock of 52 runs off 63 balls. Vihari reckons both of these all-rounders had struggled with power-hitting in T20Is, but they were at their best at milking the strike on Tuesday.
“Overall, the team combination was well set. Shivam Dube was used well as the fifth bowling option. In this format, all-rounders can create a lot of influence. Yes, they are important in T20s, but you need to have power hitters there. Axar and Sundar are not power hitters but can time the ball well. That power hitting was a problem in the T20Is. In ODIs, you don’t need power hitters because there is time to settle and play shots. These guys are perfect for this format at six, seven, and eight,” Hanuma Vihari said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Vihari highlighted that the ODI format suited Axar Patel and Washington Sundar’s style of play.
“Axar and Washington scored good half-centuries. The reason they are slightly better in this format than T20 is that there is more time so you can get set and play your shots. Even if you look at Test cricket, these guys have the ability to score runs lower down the order. That’s why this format is best suited for them.”
Meanwhile, Vihari said Bumrah getting the big wicket of England captain Harry Brook was a game-changing moment.
He concluded, “Bumrah’s wicket of Harry Brook, I thought, was the game-changer. Brook is a destructive player and can take the game away from the opposition. That wicket at that time, I think, was the turning point of the game. Just look at how much difference one bowler can make. The way he bowled, it made a big difference.”
The second ODI between India and England will be played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff, on Thursday.
