Murali Vijay opens up after being overlooked for Windies Tests

The year 2018 was going to be a huge challenge for the Indian team, especially the Test team, who were scheduled to tour England, South Africa and Australia where they haven’t often won the series in the longer format. They were banking on their one of the most reliable openers Murali Vijay to score runs heavily. However, after a couple of those tours, he has lost his place in the side with the selectors looking for youngsters at the top of the order.

It is so much baffling to see, how one player can go out of favour only after a few failures. Vijay couldn’t perform to the expectations in South Africa and England and was sidelined from the middle of the UK tour in August. Prithvi Shaw replaced him in the squad after the third Test. Vijay accepted the fact after being dropped and went back to County Cricket to play for Essex.

This time he scored runs heavily and went past the 50-run mark in four out of his five innings. But even then he was overlooked by the team management and didn’t pick him for the Windies Tests.

You are always judged on performance

Murali Vijay, while speaking to the New Indian Express, has opened up on him being axed from the Test team. He felt that the constant chopping and changing as one of the reasons for his inconsistent performances. Team India made a few startling selection decisions during their South Africa and England tours due to which a lot of eyebrows were raised.

“Anyone who doesn’t get to play re­g­u­l­a­rly will have some doubts. When you shuffle a lot there will definitely be certain thoughts in the back of your mind over your spot… but the team-management had a different way of looking at things. And when you are part of the team, you have to contribute to the overall cause because that is what matters in the end. You are always judged on the performance. Unfortunately, I didn’t have them,” Vijay said.

Vijay has faced 7115 deliveries since 2013 in Tests which are the most for any Indian opener which highlights the fact his axing was premature and deserved more opportunities. The 34-year-old will now have to go through the grinds of the domestic cricket to prove himself and make yet another comeback.

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