3 reasons why Hanuma Vihari should replace Cheteshwar Pujara in the IND vs SL 2022 Test series

With Cheteshwar Pujara dropped for the India vs Sri Lanka Test series, Hanuma Vihari is among the prime candidates to take up the No. 3 spot.

Pujara, along with Ajinkya Rahane, were left out of the squad for the two-match series. India's new Test captain Rohit Sharma said that whoever replaces the middle-order stalwarts will have big shoes to fill.

Pujara has been a rock for India at No. 3 for several years, playing a key role in their two series wins in Australia, among other memorable contributions. His tenacity, grit and ability to bat for long periods to stifle opposition bowlers made him a huge part of India's success in Tests in the recent past.

Replacing him will be a big task and Hanuma Vihari will vie with Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer for that No. 3 spot. Even Mayank Agarwal is an option, if India opt to open the innings with Rohit and Gill, so Vihari faces stiff competition for the role.

While being preferred mostly as an extra batter in overseas Tests and having to wait on the wings when India played at home, Vihari has shown tremendous patience and has kept on racking up runs either in domestic cricket or for India A.

During India's last Test series at home - against New Zealand last year - he was sent to South Africa with India A to prepare for the senior team's tour that was to follow.

He impressed for India A, and in the one Test he was named in the playing XI for the injured Virat Kohli, Vihari made 20 in the first innings and an unbeaten 40 in the second, batting mostly with the tail.

He is a sure selection, but it remains to be seen whether India will play him at No. 3 or lower down the order in place of Ajinkya Rahane.

Here are three reasons why Hanuma Vihari should replace Cheteshwar Pujara at No. 3:

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#1 Solid technique

Hanuma Vihari is not the most stylish or aggressive batter, but he possesses the technique required to thrive at the top of the order.

His defensive game and awareness of his off-stump is very solid, as displayed in his vigil with Ravichandran Ashwin in Sydney last year.

He has even opened the innings once in Australia, and while he didn't score a lot, he survived for a long period and helped blunt out the new ball.

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#2 Resilience

Hanuma Vihari has shown his grit and resilience.

Another reason why Hanuma Vihari is the prime candidate to replace Cheteshwar Pujara is his resilience and ability to play long innings.

He holds an excellent record in First-Class cricket, averaging 55.89 in 99 matches. He has a high score of an unbeaten 302, which shows he can build big innings.

Vihari has an appetite for runs, as displayed by the 7713 runs he has racked up in 99 First-Class matches, including 22 centuries.

Out of those, 684 runs have come in the 13 Tests he has played since his debut for India in 2018, which also includes a century.

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#3 Baptism by fire

Out of the 13 Tests that Hanuma Vihari has played, only one has come at home - against South Africa in 2019. Most of his international career has seen him get thrown into difficult conditions and despite that, he has been impressive.

Vihari has scored a century and four half-centuries so far in Tests, all of which have come not only outside India but outside Asia. Given the grit and appetite for runs he has shown in foreign conditions, it won't be a long-shot to argue that he will only do better at home.

His First-Class record, which saw him push his way into the national team, shows that he has great ability against spin.