Not thinking of competition with Pandya: Shankar
KOLKATA: Having made the India squad, all-rounder Vijay Shankar is not losing sleep thinking about Hardik Pandya and comparisons with the in-form cricketer as he prepares to join the team for the second Test against Sri Lanka in Nagpur.
“Pandya has done well so far and his rise has been amazing. I am not thinking about any sort of competition. It’s not about competing with anyone but improving on a personal front and trying to cement a place in the starting XI,” said Vijay.
After opener Shikhar Dhawan and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar were released from the squad the same night they drew the first Test at the Eden Gardens, Vijay, a right-handed middle-order bat who bowls medium pace, was called up as a replacement.
Like every aspirant, Vijay wants to make the most of this opportunity to break into the Indian team.
But all-rounder Pandya’s success has ensured him a place in the starting XI across all formats. To feature in the team regularly, the 26-year old Vijay has to dethrone the wiry Gujarat boy currently on a break.
Vijay has featured regularly over the past three years, in the
› It’s not about competing with anyone but improving on a personal front and trying to cement a place in the starting XI.
VIJAY SHANKAR, On cementing spot
India A set-up under coach Rahul Dravid.
“I had just come back home from Indore when I got the news and I was very happy. It’s a dream come true moment for me to get a call-up from the Indian team,” said Vijay who averages 49.14 in first-class cricket with five hundreds and 10 fifties.
Vijay was involved in Tamil Nadu’s Ranji match against Madhya Pradesh in Indore.
“I got a call from MSK Prasad sir (chairman of the selectors). He said: ‘You will get an official mail soon.’ Till I got the mail, I was anxious as it was hard for me to believe. I was waiting for the mail, which landed around 9pm. I was over the moon then and so was my family,” Vijay said.
Particularly strong off the pads, and with a fondness for driving on the up, Vijay said his primary job would be to observe the way senior pros react to situations.