Team management’s faith is all that is important, says an under pressure Vijay Shankar

Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar was picked as India’s No.4 batsman for the World Cup, a decision which gave birth to an unending debate on how Ambati Rayudu or Rishabh Pant were more suited for the job. But the national selection committee, headed by MSK Prasad, had its own reasons which they stuck with.

Shankar, however, had a disappointing campaign in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. He scored 219 runs in 14 matches and took only a solitary wicket as the least utilised bowler. Whereas, Pant scored 488 runs in 16 games for Delhi Capitals, with a few match-defining knocks. This again brought the Pant vs Shankar debate to the foray.

But for Shankar, the criticism is not something to be bogged down by, and it is only the faith of the team management which counts. In an interview, the all-rounder recalled how the team management trusted him for the New Zealand T20Is despite the horror which unfolded in the final of the Nidahas Trophy in Bangladesh – the one in which he scored a 19-ball 17 in India’s chase.

“I had a decent run when I batted at No.3 in the T20 series in New Zealand. The most important thing is that the team management has shown trust in me and believes I can do the job. That gives you extra motivation. The need of the team is my priority and I am always ready to adapt to situations and conditions.

“I am enjoying myself and don’t put any pressure on myself. I like to read the situation and play accordingly. I give importance to work ethics and there is no shortcut,” he was quoted as saying on IndiaToday.

Learning from senior players

He further went on to say that the senior players in the Indian Team have been backing him and have asked him to just keep things as simple as possible and not stress over anything.

“I have interacted with Kohli, Mahi bhai and Rohit to help me improve as a cricketer. They have told me that I am doing my job and the focus should be on keeping things simple,” the 29-year-old said.

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