Vijay Shankar, who has made a strong case for himself to be included in India's World Cup-bound squad, feels that his biggest take away from the Australia and New Zealand series is learning the “art of chasing” from none other than Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Shankar had some decent performances with the bat during the New Zealand leg, now wants to finish games like Dhoni.
“I was happy to be around with the seniors. Just watching them prepare for matches and learning. Moreover, I learnt a lot by watching Dhoni during run chases. I learnt a lot about how to pace an innings, especially during chases. I learnt about his mindset,” Shankar said.
Shankar, who had confessed after the final T20 International that he was surprised when promoted up the order to No 3, said that he was specifically told by the team management before the start of the series.
“I was surprised but at the same time was very happy to be asked to bat at number three. I was told before the series started that I would bat at one-drop. In T20s, there is not much time to settle down and the approach needs to be positive.”
Though he got a few 40's, Shankar lamented that he couldn't take the team home during the final T20 International.
“I thought I should have got more runs. Also, I felt disappointed that I could not take the team home in the third T20. I had the chance. It is a learning experience for me. I need to adapt faster and also be consistent,” he added.
The Tamil Nadu all-rounder, who has been around the India 'A' set-up for a while before graduating to the senior side, said his focus is on constant improvement while adding that he saw every match as an opportunity to do well.