With a Yo-Yo Test score of 18.5, all-rounder Vijay Shankar is raring to go

What's the story?

All-rounder Vijay Shankar has been gaining everyone's attention over the last three years and now, he has made a case for himself, thanks to his consistent performances with both bat and ball.

He has come a long way as an all-rounder, especially with the ball, as he has been often criticized for the lack of pace and the inconsistent line and length. Having said that, now, the 26-year-old is ready and raring to go.

"There have been times when I have been searching for my rhythm this season with the ball but I am a decidedly a more-rounded bowler now,” said Vijay Shankar to The Hindu.

One more area that has been a worry for Vijay Shankar has been his fitness. He was out of action due to numerous injuries over the last three years, the latest one being a shoulder injury. But, a fit-again Vijay Shankar is confident about his fitness after clearing the Yo-Yo Test successfully.

"I don’t know how it happens. When I was in South Africa with the A-team, I was hit by a ball. Subsequently, I missed a lot of action. I guess I have also been unlucky. A few days back, I gave the Yo-Yo test and I was told that I did 18.5 (benchmark score is 16.1). I was very happy,” he added.

In case you didn't know...

Vijay Shankar is an all-rounder from Tamil Nadu, who is reliable with both and ball. In 29 first-class matches, he has scored 1553 runs at an average of over 50 and adding to that, he has accounted for 57 wickets across all formats at an average of 35.

He is a part of Sunrisers Hyderabad squad in the IPL and played a couple of good innings in the handful matches he played in the 2017 edition.

He was included in the India A squad that toured Australia in 2016 to play in a quadrangular List A series and two four-day matches. Unfortunately, he got injured and underwent a knee surgery. Hardik Pandya replaced him, did well and went on to make his ODI and Test debut later.

Details

Vijay was a part of the India A squad that toured South Africa earlier this year and he was quite decent in the List A tri-series before a ball hit his shoulder and he was left out of action for few weeks.

After making a return in the series against New Zealand, he played a couple of match-winning knocks for India A. He scored an unbeaten 42-ball 47 when his team was trailing at 23/3 chasing 144 before scoring 61 off just 33 balls including five sixes in the last match of the series.

What's next?

After his India A commitments, Vijay will turn out for Tamil Nadu in their crucial Ranji encounter against Mumbai. A good performance in the match could earn him a place in the Indian squad if the team management decides to rest Hardik Pandya for the series against Sri Lanka.

Author's Take

Without a doubt, Vijay Shankar is a bright prospect for the Indian team. Over the years, injuries have been his nemesis, but now that he has overcome them, there is no stopping the Tamil Nadu all-rounder. If he continues to bat the way he is batting, the national call-up will be at a touching distance.