3rd Test: Hanuma Vihari has silenced his critics, says coach John Manoj

John Manoj

Just as the third Test was slipping away from the visitors, G Hanuma Vihari (23 off 161 balls) and R Ashwin (39 off 128 balls) batted for 131 overs to pull off a memorable draw against Australia.

Vihari had scores of 16 and 8, 21, 4 in his last four innings in the Test series, but his childhood coach John Manoj was confident that his ward would display the right temperament when it mattered the most. "Vihari is a very tough and determined person. It doesn't reflect in his body language, but he is very capable to bat long. He knows what he has to do in challenging situations and does it with determination," Manoj told mid-day from Hyderabad on Monday.

"His defence helped India eke out a draw. It is more like a win as the series is still open. It's more important that he saved the Test and silenced the critics," the coach added.