Maturity of Vihari, Rahane good for Team India: Sachin Tendulkar

Mumbai, September 3: Sachin Tendulkar reserved high praise for India's middle-order batsmen Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari who played crucial roles in the team's 2-0 whitewash of the West Indies in the two-Test series which culminated with India's thumping win at the Sabina Park on Monday (September 2).

Vihari, who came to bat at No 6, emerged as the leading run getter in the series with 289 runs, including a ton and two half-centuries. Rahane, India's vice-captain, finished second behind Vihari with 271 runs, including a century and two fifties, in the four innings he played in the Caribbean Islands.

"Lovely batting by Hanuma Vihari to get to his first 100. Also very good to see Ajinkya Rahane get back in form. The maturity and patience they have shown is a good sign for the Indian Test team," tweeted Tendulkar while heaping praise on the duo.

The 46-year-old also congratulated the team for the series victory, which saw them move to the top of the World Test Championship table with 120 points after they won the two matches in Antigua and Jamaica by 351 and 257 runs, respectively.

"Congratulations to Team India on a fabulous series win," Tendulkar said.

"It's been a joy to watch Jasprit Bumrah in this series. His hat-trick was special and the progress he has made in Test cricket has been absolutely terrific," the Master Blaster said while pin-pointing Bumrah's performance in the series.

Bumrah, who picked up five wickets in the Antigua Test, continued from where he left off in Jamaica to claim a seven-wicket match haul, which included a first-innings six-fer and a hat-trick.