Is Murali Vijay's Test career coming to an end?
Indian opening batsman, Murali Vijay wasted a glorious opportunity to show his mettle outside the subcontinent. After struggling badly during India's tour of South Africa earlier this year, the 34-year-old failed to have any say in the first two Tests against England. This forced Kohli to drop him for the 3rd Test, before he was axed completely. Here we decode Vijay's situation.
Vijay's form outside home hasn't been up to the mark
Vijay has failed to get going outside the subcontinent since quite sometime now. In South Africa, he managed 102 runs from three Test matches. And then, the issues ballooned against England where he was out of touch. 26 runs from two Tests cost Vijay his place in the squad. Notably, his disastrous tour included a pair of ducks at Lord's.
Where is the calm and composed Vijay?
Vijay arrived in England with more overseas experience than Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul. In 2014, he had an excellent tour of England and his patience was a key aspect. From 2014, he became a vital cog of India's Test squad. He used to leave the balls outside the off-stump and was solid when the ball came in. All this has now vanished.
Poor performances in SA, England the cause of concern
Vijay was in superb touch in 2017 and amassed three tons at home. He also struck a century against Afghanistan this year. But where are the runs in the overseas series? The poor performances have raised questions about his abilities. By dropping him, the selectors have sent a message that they are looking for players, who can deliver outside home on a regular basis.
18-year-old Shaw the new Indian opening option
The selectors went with 18-year-old Prithvi Shaw for the remaining two Tests. Shaw has been in prime form with the bat for India A. The management isn't afraid to try out young guns and shape them for the future. Perhaps, we will see more such instances in coming time. Shaw could now be the third opening option and that spells trouble for Vijay.
Vijay in a position of bother
Shaw's inclusion somewhat is the final nail in the coffin for Vijay. At 34, he is in the twilight of his career. And the future doesn't look bright for the Chennai man. Vijay has a slim chance of making a comeback. He has to get runs in domestic cricket and wait patiently. But given India's upcoming tours, it seems 'game over' for Vijay.
