Will travel any distance to watch Viru bat

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The first Test is barely over, and the second Test is almost upon us. The short duration between the Tests means players have to recover quickly, both physically and mentally, and I feel that’s where India have an edge over England simply beca­use they are 1-0 up in the series. England will find themselves under tremendous pressure, especially after their fallibility aga­inst spin was once again exposed in Ahmedabad.

Agre­ed, they pu­shed the Test into the fifth day and forced India to chase after trailing by 330 runs on the first innings, but it is well worth remembering that apart from Alastair Cook and Matt Prior, no one played the turning ball with any authority.

Once again, Ind­ia will try to bat big in the first innings and give their bow­lers runs in the bank with which they can relentlessly attack the English batting, which will definitely see at least one change with Ian Bell returning home for the birth of his baby. Towards that end, the latest entrant to the 100-Test club will have a huge role to play.

I was particularly delighted to see Viru make a hundred in Ahmedabad, and knowing him, I can state with certainty that he is the kind of player who can so easily get on a roll.

For Viru to play his 100th Test at the Wankhede is a massive achievement. Having been there, I know that it is not easy to make 100 Test appearances. Especially in India, with the expectations being so high, to play at the highest level for as long as it takes to complete 100 Tests is a huge ask. It calls for great hard work, plenty of perseverance, loads of sacrifices and a total commitment to cricket, and Viru has displayed all these qualities in ample measure during a long and wonderfully entertaining career.

When I think Viru, the first word that comes to mind is entertainment. What has made me a complete Viru fan is his equilibrium. Whether he is scoring runs or whether he is going through a lean patch, his attitude and temperament have remained the same. He is a very positive individual and that reflects in his unique style of batsmanship. He has got wonderful numbers – 23 Test hundreds, an average of more than 50, but more than the runs, it is the manner in which he has made them that is exhilarating.

I will pay any amount and travel any distance to watch Viru bat, because such is the entertainment he provides. His approach to batting is very simple and uncomplicated, and it’s something that comes most naturally to him because his appr­oach to life too is precisely the same.

India’s first triple centurion, one of only four men to make two Test triple hundreds, one of only two bats­men to score a double century in one-day inter­nationals. Viru is as special as they come. I wish him a memorable 100th Test m­atch, and hope he celebrates it with another century. Well done, Viru!

(360 Corporate Relations)