IPL 2019: Five Indian players who need a good tournament to confirm a place in the World Cup squad

#3 Vijay Shankar

India v Australia - ODI Series: Game 4

Vijay Shankar came as a surprise entry in the list of the World Cup probable's for team India. He made his debut in Australia but he didn't get to bat there. He also played in the New Zealand series where he batted just once in three matches and impressed everyone with a knock of 45 on a bowling friendly pitch before getting run out.

Shankar played in all of the 5 matches against Australia in the recently concluded series. He caught the eye with his strike rotation, lofted hits and sparkling cameos. His rocket throws from the deep and the ability to save runs on the field also impressed everyone. He is not quite a power hitter with the bat but he can play some delightful authentic cricket shots.

Vijay's 46 off 41 balls on an uneven Nagpur pitch was one of his stand out performances. In that match, he also won the game with his bowling in the last over.

So, Shankar is a genuine all-rounder who looks class with the bat, can bowl some overs and is a great ground fielder. With the bat, he has shown that he can be an option for the No.4 slot if others fail.

In the series decider against Australia in Delhi, Shankar had the golden opportunity to put the doubts to rest by winning the match with the bat but he failed. Now the IPL becomes even more crucial for him to turn the heads towards him by performing both with the bat and the balvijkal.