The ‘three-dimensional’ Vijay Shankar has already grabbed enough limelight after receiving the ticket to World Cup 2019. His selection resulted in unending debates among the cricket pundits; however, the all-rounder is focusing on how he should utilize this golden opportunity.
At the time of announcing the squad, chief selector MSK Prasad said that Shankar is being viewed as a number four batsman. Ambati Rayudu was seen as a potential number four batsman, but Shankar was given a nod ahead of him in the final squad due to his three-dimensional abilities.
“There's a difference between batting at number four position and batting in the lower order. How I prepare myself will the real challenge for me. I need to be in good shape, the most important thing will be how I play according to the situation. I should be equipped to play in any condition,” Shankar said.
“Number four slot, there have many been speculations about that slot. It is really important for me to keep things simple. Other things are not in my control, I should try to control what I can control,” he added.
The 28-year-old Shankar played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). The player said he plays every match with the same intensity and looks to take something out from the match.
“So wherever I play, I try to play with the same intensity. Every game I play, I try to make sure I get something out of that match. So as a cricketer I feel, you have to move forward and keep believing in your ability,” Shankar said.
India takes on New Zealand (May 25) and Bangladesh (May 28) in the warm-up matches before the World Cup. The main event begins in England and Wales from May 30 to July 14. India will open their campaign against South Africa on June 5.
Indian fifteen-member squad for World Cup:
Virat Kohli (c), Rohit Sharma (vc), Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Vijay Shankar, MS Dhoni (wk), Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Kartik, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Bumrah , Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammad Shami.