Murali Vijay: I was playing with a fractured wrist
Murali Vijay has admitted that he was battling pain owing to a fractured wrist during the recent four-Test home series against Australia which the hosts won 2-1. The injury ruled him out of the ongoing IPL and the Tamil Nadu opener underwent a wrist surgery in the United Kingdom.
"I don't want to get too much into the status of the injury but I was playing with a fractured wrist. It was a difficult situation to be in, but the team always comes first ... I was not able to bat freely because, as the injury aggravated, I couldn't play certain shots and when I went out to bat, I had to grind it out," Vijay told the New Indian Express.
"Especially against pacers, it was difficult at times to even defend off the front foot because it was my bottom hand that was injured."
Vijay missed only the second Test against Australia in Bengaluru in India’s long home season and finished as the third highest run-getter behind Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli with 771 runs at an average of 36.71. However, against Australia, he managed only one fifty.
"I was told not to use any power while batting, so that was something I had to keep in mind while facing spinners," he said. "As a batsman, when you can't play certain shots, it affects your momentum and it was frustrating, but I saw it as a challenge because nothing comes easy and I learned a lot.
"My body language might not tell you a real story all the time. I was in pain and it is not in my personality to show what I'm going through and gain sympathy. At the end of the day, I'm the one going through that and need to handle it on my own.
“I have already started my rehabilitation and hopefully, in a month or two, I should be able to pick up the bat again," he concluded.