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Watch: Broken-handed Hanuma Vihari shows Moeen Ali how it’s done, nails one-handed reverse hit in Ranji Trophy

by Wisden Staff February 2, 2023 - 2:55pm 3 minute read

Watch: After batting one-handed in the first innings of the Ranji Trophy quarter-final against defending champions Madhya Pradesh, Andhra captain Hanuma Vihari did the same in the second innings, playing some exquisite strokes.

A lifter from Avesh Khan hit Vihari on the wrist on the first day after he opted to bat at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. He had to retire hurt on 16.

Scans revealed a fracture, but Vihari walked out after Andhra slipped from 323-2 to 353-9. He batted one-handed, using his intact left hand as the top hand – in other words, he batted left-handed. A Lalith Mohan (22) and Vihari (27) added 26 for the last wicket as Andhra finished on 379.

Their bowlers – Prithvi Raj Yarra (5-26) and KV Sasikanth (3-49) – then bowled out defending champions Madhya Pradesh for 228. But Avesh (4-24) and Gaurav Yadav (3-10) hit back, forcing Andhra to squander their first-innings advantage.

Vihari emerged again, this time at 76-9, to join Prithvi Raj, who had batted at No.11 in the first innings. Madhya Pradesh captain Aditya Srivastava responded by bringing on off-spinner Saransh Jain to bowl at now-left-handed Vihari.

Vihari responded by stepping out to loft Jain over mid-on with one hand – his wrong hand – over mid-on for four. When Jain tried to cramp him from room, he reverse-swept him, that too well in front of square (deep point, since this was a reverse-sweep). The ball raced to the fence.

A day before Vihari, Moeen Ali had attempted a similar stroke in an ODI, off Tabraiz Shamsi, though it was more of a cross between a tennis forehand and a violent slap. Unlike Vihari, Moeen had missed.

Jain had his revenge when he bowled Vihari for 15, but not before Andhra’s last pair had put on 17 to stretch Madhya Pradesh’s target to 245. Yash Dubey (24*) and wicketkeeper Himanshu Mantri (31*) added 58 before stumps without being separated.