'Have to grab rare India opportunity' – Hanuma Vihari

Vihari has been one of the most consistent batsmen in India's domestic circuit for a while now, and he was finally rewarded for his performances in long-form cricket with a berth on the India squad for the final two Tests of the five-match series against England.

Vihari declared that he never wanted to be just a good domestic cricket player, and that he had always had his eyes trained on higher honours. When he got called up to the India A squads that toured South Africa and England earlier this year, he knew something was going to happen.

“Going to South Africa and playing in those conditions, especially (since) it was my first tour, I learnt a lot from that tour and I knew what was coming after that," Vihari said in an interview with BCCI.tv.

"I knew I had to perform in the domestic season to get back again in the India A squad. I didn't perform (in the A tour), but I knew I had to perform in the domestic season to get back in the side and prove (myself). If you have to play for India, you have to score in the A team, you have no other choice."

Vihari said working under Rahul Dravid, coach of the India A side, filled him with confidence, and that VVS Laxman, another India legend who hails from Vihari's hometown of Hyderabad, was a big source of inspiration for him. "The tour in South Africa helped me. It was my first tour with Rahul (Dravid) sir and the advice he gave me on that tour, it helped me a lot," said Vihari.

"When you're coming from Hyderabad, VVS Laxman is one of the inspirations. He is a legend of Hyderabad cricket and Indian cricket as well. I was fortunate enough to play a few games with Laxman sir and he was very helpful. Playing a few games and getting that experience from the other end was a real motivation."

Vihari, who has scored 5142 first-class runs from 63 matches at an astounding 59.79, stressed that the key to success is to be able to bat according to the match situation. “It's the situation that matters more to me rather than the strike-rate at which I am batting," he said.

"Sometimes you will bat at 60-70 in a four-day game, but sometimes you have to grind for the team. If you have that mental ability to bat differently at different situations, then you can score consistently at a higher level as well.

Vihari had played for Hyderabad until the 2015-16 season of the Ranji Trophy but moved to Andhra ahead of the next season. “I took up the challenge because I wanted to be an India player, not just a Ranji Trophy player," he said. "I wanted to be one step higher, I had the goal and determination to play for India. That's the reason why I changed sides.”

But Vihari is well aware that getting the call to represent the senior India side is a job only half done. The task now is to wait for the opportunity to get in the XI, and then pounce.

“It's tough to get into the Indian side, but once you're in, you have to make sure that you grab that opportunity," said Vihari. "That is the only thing I'm thinking about. I know that the opportunity will come, but I've to be really ready for that opportunity. Once it comes, I want to grab it and make it my own."