Murali Vijay on his comeback: “I believed in my work ethics”

Murali Vijay on his comeback: India opening batsman said that strong belief in his work ethics helped him stay strong after being dropped.

Apart from scoring a hundred in India’s tour game against CA XI at Sydney, India opening batsman Murali Vijay also silenced the voices which were suggesting that India should look at other alternatives to replace the injured Prithvi Shaw.

For a 34-year old batsman to be dropped, picked again and then perform again isn’t as easy as it sounds for it involves a significant amount of motivation to stand up and perform again. While Vijay has performed in his outing in Australia, he would be hoping to play in a similar manner throughout the series.

Speaking to the media post the day’s play, Vijay talked about being ‘ready’ for the challenge which lies ahead and was hopeful about starting the series well. “Basically, I’m ready. I just want to go out there and contribute and give a good start for my team. Always being aiming at that. Nothing different this time. Really interesting series for us. Hopefully, we can start the series really well,” he was quoted as saying to the media.

Vijay also quashed all murmurs about age taking a toll on him. Keeping it simple, he said that it is all about being ‘responsible’. “Once you play international cricket, you have got to handle responsibility. It’s just about taking the responsibility and doing it for the team. Age doesn’t matter,” he said.

Considering himself as a batsman who plays on the back-foot, Vijay believed that the pitch ‘suited’ his game. “The wicket suited my game. I’m a batsman who likes to play on the back foot. Australia is one place where it bounces so you can play your shots,” he added.

Before signing off, Vijay opined that maintaining a certain ‘work ethic’ even after being dropped form the team helps in the longer run. “Nothing comes naturally. You got to work to be in a place where you attain a positive frame of mind. If you are not part of the team, still you should be looking to make your work ethics be at the top level. Once you get the chance, you got to be ready to go,” he concluded.

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