India batter Hanuma Vihari praised all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar for their match-winning knocks in the first ODI against England. The Men in Blue finally ended their losing run on the tour with a comfortable six-wicket victory.
Hanuma Vihari reckoned that the team combination for the ODI game was perfect, with all-rounders creating a significant impact. He stated that the likes of Axar and Sundar could not do well in the T20I series as they lacked power hitting, but lauded both batters for returning to form in the one-day format.
“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,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Axar scored an unbeaten 57 of 52 balls with five boundaries and a six, while Sundar also remained unbeaten on 52 off 63 balls with four boundaries and a maximum.
Hanuma Vihari pointed out that the two performed better in the first ODI as the format suited them, allowing them to take more time to settle in and then play their shots.
“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.”
Chasing 259, India got over the line in just 45.2 overs. Axar and Sundar were involved in an unbeaten 102-run stand for the sixth wicket.
Hanuma Vihari highlights the importance of ace pacer in India’s line-up
After last having played an ODI in the 2023 World Cup final, ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah returned to the format. Bumrah bowled nine overs and returned figures of 1/31 at an economy rate of 3.4. He was exceptional with the new ball and also bagged the prized wicket of in-form England captain Harry Brook.
Brook’s dismissal for just one run was the turning point, according to Hanuma Vihari. He highlighted the importance of Bumrah’s presence and how it made a big difference.
‘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.”
It was Bumrah’s 150th ODI wicket and also his 31st in the format in England, the most by any Indian bowler.
Edited by Rishab Vm