3 players who made their ODI debut for India in 2019

#1 Vijay Shankar

Vijay Shankar made his ODI debut in January 2019

Isn’t it surprising that the player who was supposed to bat at No.4 for India in the World Cup has made his debut in that year itself? Vijay Shankar had made his T20 debut earlier in the Nidahas Trophy where he struggled, but his ODI debut came much later.

In fact, had Hardik Pandya not be banned, Shankar wouldn’t have got a call-up. Vijay Shankar was called up as Hardik Pandya’s replacement for the ODI series against Australia. He got a chance in the third ODI but there wasn’t much that he could do. In the New Zealand series, he impressed one and all with his composure and technique as he scored a crucial 45 in the fifth ODI.

Even in the ODI series against Australia, he did fairly well. He was picked in the World Cup squad as India’s No.4 and as a 3-dimensional player but when India reached, KL Rahul was in good form and so he batted at No.4. He later got a chance at No.4 but unfortunately injured his toe which ruled him out of the World Cup.

Since then, he hasn’t been picked in any of the series which is a surprise. The player who was backed by the selectors and the team management is suddenly out of contention. He will have to fight his way back if he wants to be a part of the World T20 squad.