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Even if Vijay Shankar becomes the greatest all-rounder of all time, he will be remembered for his surprising national call-up for the 2019 World Cup at the expense of a much experienced Ambati Rayudu. Shankar was picked as the No. 4 batsman in the tournament, and the chairman of selectors MSK Prasad credited his three-dimensional abilities behind the decision. The decision didn’t go down too well with critics and experts as they lashed out at the team management for taking a surprising decision. Relatively low returns for Shankar didn’t help his cause, and eventually, he was ruled out of the latter part of the tournament after sustaining an injury. Despite the controversy surrounding his selection in the World Cup, Vijay Shankar is an impressive all-around player. He has been a consistent performer for Tamil Nadu ever since making his first-class debut back in 2012. A late bloomer as per Indian standards, Shankar made his international debut in a T20I match against Sri Lanka in 2018. It was in the ODI series in New Zealand ahead of the 2019 World Cup that Shankar first made the headlines with his effortless hitting and dribbly dobby medium pace. Despite Rayudu being the No. 4 for a year heading to the World Cup, Shankar was picked as the No. 4 owing to his all-round abilities. Shankar made a sensational World Cup debut when he dismissed Imam ul Haq in his very first delivery of the competition. However, his joy was short-lived as a string of low scores and wicketless performances followed. He has been in and around the Indian selection radar, but with the abundance of talent in the domestic circuit, it will be tough for him to again make a comeback in the national foray. Shankar has the ability to play different moulds. He has a strong technique and can also smash the long ball. After his first-class debut in 2013, it took him some time to establish himself in the circuit. However, by 2015, he became one of the most consistent
