Murali Vijay "hurt" for not being a part of Team India anymore

Murali Vijay "hurt" for not being a part of Team India anymore

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Murali Vijay has mentioned that he feels hurt for not being a part of the Indian Test team in the current situation. The Tamil Nadu opener has also added that he doesn’t feel threatened with the youngsters coming in and is also happy to see Prithvi Shaw getting a chance in the senior India team.

Not being in a good form in Test matches ensured Vijay getting dropped from the Indian side after the second Test match against the Aussies in Perth in December last year. Vijay was once considered as one of the most technically-sound batsmen in overseas conditions for the Indian team. However, in the first two matches in Australia, his scores read 11, 18, 0 and 20 in Adelaide and Perth. He was then dropped from the team with KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal opening for the Indian side in the next game. However, the Tamil Nadu opener has now opened up saying that he was only one innings away from a getting back his lost form and expected to continue playing Tests for the Indian team. 

"I expected to play the Test. In fact, I was sure I would play the Test. I had batted well in the second innings of the second Test at Perth. I felt I was only one innings away from form. I feel hurt that I am not a part a part of the Indian team. I am not disappointed. But really hurt," Vijay told The Hindu. 

Newcomers in the Indian Test side like Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal have done well so far at the top of the order which has now made sure that the team management might go with them whenever the Indian team will play a Test match in the Windies after the upcoming World Cup.

"People don't know or understand me. I don't see myself competing or feeling threatened by the newcomers. Two years back, I said Prithvi Shah would play for the country. I am happy for them,” the opener explained.

"I have scored nearly 4000 Test runs for the country, I must be pretty good to have done that. I have made runs in difficult conditions, in England and Australia. And I came through a period when Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir were there. I don't feel intimidated by the competition."

Playing for his home state Tamil Nadu in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay has struck consecutive fifties in the shortest format of the game against Himachal Pradesh and Vidarbha. The right-hander has underlined the fact that he has a lot of Test cricket left in him.

"I will play till my heart tells me to play, you can’t take that away from me. I am fit and only 34. I have more Test cricket left in me. Lately, I have been receiving some good deliveries. Then, there have been other factors," Vijay said.

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