Vijay Shankar admits he never expected India call-up

Vijay Shankar, the all-rounder from Tamil Nadu, is delighted after being picked in the squad for the second Test match against Sri Lanka. The decision was taken late on Monday when Shikhar Dhawan and Bhuvneshwar Kumar requested the Indian board to release from the squad owing to personal reasons. However, the youngster admitted that he never expected the national call-up in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka.

Vijay is currently part of the Tamil Nadu squad and playing in the ongoing season of Ranji Trophy. He has impressed the selectors during the stints with the India A side and even MSK Prasad had said that he was under the radar for the national team. Even recently, Vijay Shankar had cleared yo-yo fitness test with flying colours. He will replace Bhuvi in the squad but it remains to be seen if he will get a chance to prove his worth in the field.

Looking forward to my maiden stint

Vijay Shankar, 26, is delighted after earning a maiden call-up to the national side for the remainder of the Test series against Sri Lanka and is looking forward to share the dressing room with the team. “It feels great. I didn’t expect it. I always wanted to give my best in whatever cricket I play and never have I thought that if I do well in this tournament or competition I will get picked at the next level. It’s a dream come true moment and I’m looking forward to my maiden stint in the Indian dressing-room,” he told Times of India.

He conceded that he felt disappointed to lose so many ‘A’ tours due to injuries over the last 18 months. “There have been times when I felt disappointed at missing out on A tours. The two months I had spent at the National Cricket Academy discussing with trainer Rajini made me learn more about myself. I always wanted to give my best and be sincere during rehab,” Vijay added who averages around 49 in first-class cricket.

Shankar is a seam-bowling all-rounder who can replace Hardik Pandya in the team easily and has credited Lakshmipathy Balaji for his turnaround with the ball. “I had batted at different positions. It helped me understand the adaptability factor much better. I have always strived to be consistent. I have improved on my bowling speed. Balaji helped me understand how to make the most of my non-bowling arm and helped me in my run-up. It has helped me immensely,” he concluded.