Iyer, Vihari have to wait for regular chances: Dravid clarifies at giving Pujara, Rahane longest rope; explains why

Dravid statement came after Vihari's valiant 40 in the second innings of the Johannesburg Test against South Africa earlier this week that helped India set a target of 240 runs.

India head coach Rahul Dravid clarified on Friday that the team management will be handing the longest rope to their two senior batters in Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, implying that younger middle-order options in Hanuma Vihari and Shreyas Iyer will hence have to wait for their regular chances for a tad longer.

Shreyas Iyer and Hanuma Vihari (ANI, AP)

Dravid statement came after Vihari's valiant 40 in the second innings of the Johannesburg Test against South Africa earlier this week that helped India set a target of 240 runs. Chances haven't come easy for Vihari since his debut in the 2018 Test series in England. Despite good returns with the bat in the middle order, Vihari has been in and out of the XI, finding place only in times of injury of regular players, like in the Wanderers game when he was picked as replacement for injured Virat Kohli and ill Iyer.

Nevertheless, Vihari has delivered time and again and Dravid was effusive in his praise for the youngster.

""Firstly I must say Vihari played really in both innings. In first innings he got a nasty one and unfortunately for him, it popped up and fielder just got his finger tips to it and really got a good catch, he batted beautifully in the second innings and that gives us confidence you know," he said after India's seven-wicket loss in the second Test.

Dravid also took the opportunity to praise Iyer who had scored 105 and 65 in his debut Test appearance last November and was hailed as the primary replacement choice for under-pressure Rahane.

"Shreyas (Iyer) obviously done that two or three Test matches ago and he has obviously done that and they have just got to take heart from the fact that whenever they are getting opportunities, they are doing well and hopefully their time would come."

However, Dravid wants the tradition to stay and continue to back his senior batters recalling that even the present veteran batters have had to wait for their regular chances during his playing days.

"If you look at some of our guys now senior players and being sort of considered, senior players, they have also had to wait for their time and also have had to score a lot of runs at the start of their careers."

Dravid however indicated that he has a phase-out plan in place for the senior players and that Iyer and Vihari's opportunity will eventually come.

"So it happens (wait) as its nature of the sport," he said adding, "We can take a lot of heart from the manner Vihari batted in this game and that should give him a lot of confidence and that should give us a lot of confidence."