Indian cricket has been blessed with such talented and gifted cricketers that it is but natural to forget their contribution in front of giants like Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Rohit Sharma and more. Long before Cheteshwar Pujara, Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane became the backbone of India’s middle order in Tests, there were certain players who acted as a bridge for the transition to take place from the Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar era. Between 2008 and 2014, during MS Dhoni’s captaincy reign, certain players emerged and made a mark, one of the most renowned of which was Murali Vijay.
The ‘Monk’, as Vijay got to be famously known as, featured in 67 Tests for India, scoring almost 4000 runs at an average of 38.28 including 12 centuries and 15 fifties. Vijay, along with Shikhar Dhawan, became one of the most potent opening pairs for India in Tests, scoring centuries both home and away. Vijay’s career however, can be categorised into two parts to understand it better – one before 2011 and the one after 2012.
Between 2008 and 2011, Vijay was a promising star but it was during the India vs Australia Test series in 2013 that the batter really came into his elements. Recalling the epic series, Vijay revealed how he was in fear of losing his place in the team after scores of 10 and 6 in the first match. But once Vijay scored 167 off 361 balls in the second Test at Hyderabad, he knew it was his time to shine.
“I definitely felt that (turning point of career) when I scored my hundred in Hyderabad for my comeback – it was 2012 if I am not wrong. I don’t know the exact year but around that time, when Virender Sehwag and myself were opening, I had this hint. He came to my saying ‘This might be your last Test series’. And I felt Hyderabad innings was something pure out and above,” he said on the Wednesday with WV Raman for Sportstar.
Vijay followed his second Test century with a third in the very next Test, scoring 153 in Mohali, also Dhawan’s Test debut. From there on, Vijay never looked back. He quickly took over the moniker of being one of India’s best batters away. In 2014, Vijay hit 146 against England in Nottingham to go with a solid knock of 144 against Australia in Brisbane, two of the best knocks ever played by an Indian opener away from home in this century. Vijay would go on to hammer back-to-back centuries once again against Sri Lanka in 2017 before losing his place once and for all after a poor outing in England 2018. But as Vijay pointed out, he had reached a different level after that Hyderabad innings.
“I never thought I would be having so much patience and play there. And that knock gave me the faith and belief that I can perform anywhere. The situation of my personal life and cricket hit me together. After that I never looked back. I completely had the confidence to go and perform anywhere in the world. Trent Bridge was one of the best knocks I have played,” added the India opener.
