Sourav Ganguly feels Vijay Shankar will bowl well at World Cup 2019

The selection of Vijay Shankar in the Indian squad for the upcoming World Cup has generated quite a bit of controversy. The cricketer, who made his ODI debut earlier this year in Australia, pipped Ambati Rayudu to make the squad as the No.4 batsman and the decision has raised quite a bit of eyebrow. The selectors defended Vijay’s pick as preferring a “three-dimensional” cricketer even though Rayudu made that a target of his sarcasm after the snub.

Vijay, however, hasn’t been as successful in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad but with the expectations have gone high, his performance (180 runs from 12 matches at an average of 20 and strike-rate of 122) has emboldened the critics. However, former India captain Sourav Ganguly backed the 28-year-old Tamil Nadu cricketer, saying his bowling could come handy in English conditions in the World Cup. Till now, Vijay’s bowling figures in ODI cricket though haven’t been anything extraordinary as he averages 94 and averages over 5.6.

Let’s not be too negative about Vijay, says Ganguly

“Vijay Shankar will do well. He is a good young cricketer. His bowling will come handy. Let’s not be too negative about him. He has got a place because he has played in Australia and New Zealand and done well,” India Today cited reports as quoting Ganguly, an advisor to IPL team Delhi Capitals (DC).

Ganguly himself had got six wickets in seven matches in England in World Cup in 1999 and he too was considered then a handy bowler with his military medium pace bowling in English conditions.

The former left-hand batsman also spoke highly about 21-year-old wicket-keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant who has been ignored for this year’s WC squad. He said Pant need not worry about not getting a chance in this year’s WC for age is on his side and he will get to play in quite a few WCs.

Under the tutelage of Ganguly and Ponting, the head coach, the DC have done well in this WC to make the playoffs after a gap of seven years.

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