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Nidahas Trophy 2018: Vijay Shankar gets reward for patience, debuts for India
Vijay Shankar, who delivered some solid performances in the domestic circuit, was handed a debut for India in the opening game of the Nidahas Trophy 2018 T20 tri-series against Sri Lanka.
When Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri handed the debut cap to Vijay Shankar for the game against Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa stadium on Tuesday, the smile on the 27-year-old Tamil Nadu all-rounder from Tirunelveli told the story. The moment was reward for his toughness in a six-year playing career that has endured frustrations. (India vs Sri Lanka, Nidahas Trophy 2018 T20 - highlights)
Shankar was one of five fresh faces picked for the 2018 Nidahas Trophy T20 tri-series involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh after Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, MS Dhoni and Jasprit Bumrah were all rested.
During the practice session on Monday, he had a bowling session that lasted for close to 30 minutes. The intent and the accuracy displayed by Shankar in that session was proof that he was ready for the big stage.
Many frustrations
Shankar has endured plenty of frustrations in his domestic career, be it for Tamil Nadu or in the Indian Premier League. In 2014/15, after two Man of the Match performances in the quarter-final and semi-final, his team was blown away by a Karnataka side that were at the peak of their powers.
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During his nearly four-year association with Chennai Super Kings, he spent most of the time on the bench and played only one game in 2014. He played only four games for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2017 but he showed his class in stroking an unbeaten 63* against Gujarat Lions in a must-win game.
In the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shankar’s strike-rate was just over 100. Even with the ball, he did not set the stage on fire. His frustrations continued on the bigger stage. During the India A tour to Australia in 2016, Shankar was replaced by Hardik Pandya who went on to make a mark. After being picked in the Test series against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the India spot still eluded him.
The fact that Shankar’s modest domestic contributions were overlooked suggests that the Indian management see a lot more in the right-armer. Shankar’s playing style, combined with a tough mental strength, makes him a combination of a player who is a sheet-anchor with the bat and a bowler who can contain. Against Sri Lanka, he would want to overcome break this frustration in style.
