The BCCI on Tuesday in a statement said that Shikhar Dhawan would not be playing India’s second Test against Sri Lanka at Nagpur, while Bhuvneshwar Kumar had been relieved from the team for his wedding on 23 November. And in place of the Indian pacer, the board named Tamil Nadu rookie all-rounder Vijay Shankar.
Playing a Ranji match in Indore, the 26-year-old was pleasantly surprised to hear about his maiden India call-up.
I am really excited. It has been a long-time dream of mine to be part of the Indian team. Now it has come true. My hard work has paid off. I was not expecting a call-up but now that I am in the squad, it feels great.Vijay Shankar
From Ranji to India A to IPL
A middle-order right hand batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, Shankar has captained Tamil Nadu’s One-Day team to the Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophies in their respective last editions.
Since making his first-class debut in 2012-13, the Tamil Nadu lad has scored 1,671 runs and taken 27 wickets in 32 first-class matches.
In the ongoing Ranji season, Shankar has scored one century and picked six wickets in the three matches he has played.
Shankar first came into the limelight in the 2014-15 Ranji season, where he scored a total of 577 runs in seven matches including two centuries and three fifties. He also picked up eight wickets in those games. This performance caught the selectors’ eyes and he was picked to play for India A’s tour to Australia. Since then he has helped India A defeat South Africa in a tri-series with a 72 in the final and also smashed a hundred against Bangladesh A in Hyderabad this February.
In October this year, Shankar played India A’s limited-over series against New Zealand A and also toured South Africa for the tri-series against Afghanistan A and South Africa A.
Being part of the India ‘A’ team has helped me grow as an all-rounder. I have matured as a player and learnt to perform under different situations.Vijay Shankar
Also seen as a back-up seam bowling all- rounder to Hardik Pandya, Shankar stitched a match-winning 133-run partnership with David Warner in his maiden Indian Premier League season this year.
A series of injuries have forced the all-rounder to miss matches and 'A' tours in the past, however Shankar is now looking forward to better times. After working hard on his fitness, he scored a 18.5 in the Yo Yo test which has a benchmark of 16.1.
"I was frustrated to miss matches, but worked hard on my fitness. Did rehab at the NCA with the physios and trainers there. It has made me stronger," he said.
Shankar said working with Tamil Nadu bowling coach L Balaji, a former India cricketer, had enabled him improve his bowling.
"Working with Balaji has helped me improve my bowling and increase my speed," he said.
Excited Shankar Family
Hailing from Madipakkam in Chennai, Shankar’s father is a former club cricketer while his brother Ajay plays league cricket. In fact, the cricketer’s father was so keen that his sons take up cricket that he set up an astro turf and a bowling machine for them to train, reported The Hindu.
His family members were delighted to see him earn a call to the Test team and his brother Ajay, who plays in the TNCA League, said Vijay Shankar's hard work and perseverance has paid off.
"We are excited to see him representing the country.”
“Making a debut is a big and a very special time for us. He worked a lot for this," Ajay, a mentor of sorts for his brother, told The Hindu.
He also said Shankar's determination helped during the tough times when he was injured and missed matches.
"Vijay (Shankar) put in a lot of hard work and his efforts made him return stronger and earn a spot in the 'A' team," Ajay told The Hindu.
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