Vijay Hazare Trophy | Murali Vijay 'let down' after getting ousted from Tamil Nadu squad

Vijay was left out of the Tamil Nadu team after he "failed to report" to the ground for the game against Mumbai due to a "shoulder pain", but the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), in a press release, stated that the team management were unaware of Vijay's injury. While Tamil Nadu was down with a hamstring injury to opener Abhinav Mukund, Vijay's unavailability was the last thing they wanted. However, the coach Hrishikesh Kanitkar came out in his defence and admitted to being aware of Vijay's injury that kept him out of the match. 

Vijay was a part of the Tamil Nadu team for the first two matches in the Vijay Hazare Trophy - against Gujarat and Goa - and managed to score 11 and 51 in those two matches. And, his absence from the squad turned out to be a huge blow to an already beleaguered side, which had failed to qualify for the Ranji Trophy knockouts and finished as low as fifth out of seven in the league phase of the Vijay Hazare Trophy. While Vijay admitted that a lot of work needed to be done for Tamil Nadu cricket, he anyways wants to win the Ranji Trophy before he is done as a player.

Vijay’s superb ability to leave the outside the off-stump deliveries made him India’s No. 1 Test opener at the moment and he had already proved his worth in the Australia and England tour in the past. However, in the last Test series against South Africa, the Tamil Nadu opener failed to get going and didn't register a single half-century. But the worrying sign for him was the uncharacteristic mode of dismissals - caught behind the wicket on four instances.

"In all the Tests, I had got in, played a few balls and had a look at the wicket. It all boils down to shot selection, which happens at that level. There were also good bowlers, bowling in the right channel and the pitches were a little difficult. I hope to apply the experience I had gained in the future tours. We could have won the series. We competed pretty well in the second Test but couldn't finish it. It was a good learning as a team," reflected Vijay.

"Third Test was brilliant for us. It gave us the momentum and it made us believe even more that we can do something special abroad. Winning abroad is a special feeling. I'm proud of what the team has achieved in the ODIs. It is down to the constant process, the way we are handling every practice session and preparations and that's what people are witnessing now. As a team we are on the right path," he noted.