Chief selector MSK Prasad identifies two standout performers from Windies tour

Hanuma Vihari had a series to remember in the Test matches, scoring 289 runs in 4 innings with the help of two fifties and a century. He was the leading run-getter in the 2-match series.

India’s successful tour of West Indies, which saw them return with a hundred percent record, across all platforms, for the first ever has thrown up a problem of plenty for the national selectors. India is looking to create a strong pool of players for the upcoming years and several youngsters put up their hand on the tour.

India's Hanuma Vihari celebrates after he scored a century against West Indies during day two of the second Test cricket match at Sabina Park cricket ground in Kingston, Jamaica. (AP)

Shreyas Iyer was the star performer in the ODIs with the bat while Navdeep Saini gave the world a glimpse of his tearaway pace in the T20 internationals. Hanuma Vihari stole the show in the middle order with a ‘Man of the series’ performance in the Test matches.

In a recent interview to India Today, chief selector MSK Prasad spoke about the need to invest in future stars and identified the cricketers who did well on the tour to the Caribbean islands.

While Saini was the highest wicket-taker in the 20-over format with 5 scalps to his name, Iyer with 136 runs from 2 innings, both half-centuries was India’s second best behind skipper Virat Kohli.

Hanuma Vihari had a series to remember in the Test matches, scoring 289 runs in 4 innings with the help of two fifties and a century. He was the leading run-getter in the 2-match series.

“In the longer format we have seen solid performances from young Vihari. He was clearly the stand out performer in this series apart from Bumrah, who was outstanding with the ball. I am also very happy with the form of Ajinkya Rahane because he is very crucial for the success of Indian team in this format,” Prasad said while praising Vihari and Indian Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane.