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 currently unbeaten on 86, having unfurled his trademark swashbuckling celebration on reaching 50.
India are 292/9 and trailing by 40.
Follow #ENGvIND live ⬇️https://t.co/LQoNOzv9xA pic.twitter.com/taiALY4mnA
— ICC (@ICC) September 9, 2018
Love the way @imjadeja plays the game … Somehow India have to find a way to play him all the time … Great skills … #ENGvIND
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) September 9, 2018
Well done @imjadeja should have played earlier in the series things could have been different.. 4 wickets and a brilliant 50.. keep going pal
— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) September 9, 2018
Top knock from Hanuma, first of many to come I hope 👏👏👏 #ENGvsIND
— Deep Dasgupta (@DeepDasgupta7) September 9, 2018
Watching him bat, guess Vihari’s defensive game went in his favour. Team management must be given credit for the unorthodox selection. Must also give credit where it’s due. https://t.co/onkwzEgBER
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) September 9, 2018
Fifty on debut. Well played, Hanuma Vihari. Hopefully first of many 👏👏 #engvind
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) September 9, 2018
https://twitter.com/fakingnews/status/1038783398045728769
Very happy for Hanuma Vihari. Showed a lot of guts and determination and could be a really valuable asset in the middle order going forward. #EngvInd
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) September 9, 2018
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. #ENGvIND
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) September 9, 2018
Ravindra Jadeja removed the dust from his sword and then swung it in trademark style. Keep going, Sir.
— Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) September 9, 2018
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) September 9, 2018
How tragic Jadeja should be stranded 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) September 9, 2018
Cheteshwar Pujara proved himself at Southampton by scoring a century and now Ravi Jadeja is proving himself at Kennington Oval first with a 4-for and now with a fifty!
Never doubt Saurashtra boys!
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) September 9, 2018
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!#ENGvIND
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) September 9, 2018
Hanuma Vihari (56) now the fourth Indian to register a fifty-plus score in his Test debut inns in England after Rusi Modi (57* in 1946), Sourav Ganguly (131 in 1996) & Rahul Dravid (95 in 1996).#EngvInd
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) September 9, 2018
A good comeback game for @imjadeja here. Tight with the ball and bat. Also, impressed by how Hanuma Vihari applied himself at the crease. Well deserved 50. #ENGvIND
— R P Singh रुद्र प्रताप सिंह (@rpsingh) September 9, 2018
I haven't seen Sir twirl his bat since Dharamsala. I feel whole again. #ENGvIND
— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) September 9, 2018
