MS Dhoni has done a lot: The Indian all-rounder was wax lyrical about the veteran wicket-keeper batsman after India’s tour of New Zealand.
Not part of the original squad, India all-rounder Vijay Shankar received a call-up to the national side after Hardik Pandya was sent back home following an off-field incident which lead him and opening batsman Lokesh Rahul to receive suspensions.
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Shankar played a combined of four ODIs and three T20Is on the tours of Australia and New Zealand. While he was expected to replace Pandya, he ended up playing alongside him which spoke highly about the team management’s belief in him.
While the 28-year old cricketer got limited chances with the ball, he put forward his skills with the bat playing some noteworthy innings for India. Speaking during the post-match press conference after the third T20I, Shankar sounded satisfied with his performance and laid emphasis on learning from both these series.
#VijayShankar Hits Bull’s Eye From Long-On To Run #RossTaylor Out. #Cricket #NZvIND #Auckland
WATCH: https://t.co/5FAY7p7sbo pic.twitter.com/wBBOnoorYX
— Outlook Magazine (@Outlookindia) February 8, 2019
Lol Hayden says it was Vijay Shankar who laid down the platform for the mammoth chase with 150sr and easing pressure.
But as per people like you, Vijay Shankar is the reason whenever India losses.— Sakthi Prasanna (@sakthiiprasanna) February 10, 2019
“Every tour, every game is very important for me. In the matches that I have played in so far, I think I have reasonably done quite well but I could have done a lot better. It is a great learning for me. I am just looking to get better everyday,” Shankar was quoted as saying.
Expected to bat in the lower middle-order, Shankar was given opportunities at No. 3 as well. While he admitted that everyone wants to bat high up the order, he also highlighted the fact to be flexibility in the batting order is a key in the T20 format.
“The most important thing for us is to be really consistent and adapt ourselves to different conditions and keep performing. I think this is the only thing which can keep pushing us. T20 is such a format where we need to be flexible, as batsman we need to know the situation and be aware of what is happening around. I look to be flexible and give my best to my team,” Shankar added.
Why rohit not giving chance to vijay shankar to bowl… @bcci #staraikelungal kurnal already conceeds 30+ in juz 2.3
— Ram Surath Kumar V R (@surath_r) February 10, 2019
Vijay Shankar scored 1/5th of required run , well played
Stop criticising him#NZvIND— asbin raj (@asbinraj2) February 10, 2019
Being asked about former India captain and current wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Shankar mentioned that he looks up to the veteran cricketer because of him doing a lot for the team.
“For someone like me, I try and learn from watching each and every player we have in our team because everyone has done something in the past and they have won matches for the team especially Dhoni bhai, who has done a lot for the team. I definitely look up to him. I see how is getting set for a total, how he chases a total. Everything is a great learning for me,” Shankar concluded.
