How Murali Vijay has turned a corner in his Test career

The string of disappointments did not deter Vijay’s determination, and he staged a comeback to the side in 2013

2013 – Vijay’s year of reckoning

Not many young batsmen survive for 5 years in international cricket with the kind of scores that Vijay had had until the beginning of the year 2013. But such was the dearth of quality openers that India faced during the time – with Abhinav Mukund failing to grab his opportunity – that Vijay was persisted with. The long rope that was given finally paid dividends, as the next Border-Gavaskar series that he featured in, only his second since debut saw him flourish as a proper Test match opener. Back to back hundreds, at Hyderabad and Mohali, and that too big hundreds – 167 and 153 – were followed by a half century in Delhi.

The 4-0 drubbing of the Australians combined with Vijay’s marvellous performances deemed him fit again for overseas tours after having been dropped for similar endeavours two years back. This time around, Vijay did not disappoint. That India faced a South Africa side that had one of their best combinations in history must be considered before judging Vijay’s knocks of 39 at Johannesburg and 97 at Durban.

However, the shot at glory still beckoned. After having spent close to five years in the international arena, he still wasn’t a match winner. The subsequent tour to New Zealand, best remembered for Brendon McCullum’s herculean triple hundred, didn’t bring good news for the Indian opener either, as he managed 26, 13, 2, and 7 from 4 innings. India failed to win a Test on both tours.

Probably, this was the lowest of lows in Vijay’s career. After having shown glimpses of promise in the home games, the right-hander was reduced to an ordinary batsman, whenever India travelled overseas. Just two knocks of substance from 16 innings outside Asia, over the course of 5 years didn’t justify the long rope that was being handed over to him so graciously by the team. However, what unfolded thereafter, made one realise that the 5 years spent under the ground, growing the roots and finding nourishment, was only done for his growth akin to a bamboo tree. The year 2014 proved out to be the year saw that Vijay outgrow the skirmishes that he had and take his rightful place in the global batting fraternity.

The 2014 tour to England, which was Vijay’s first, saw a dramatic turnaround of is fortunes

The tryst with glory

When India travelled to England next, Vijay was a part of the team and was on his first tour to England. That the result wasn’t much different from India’s previous tour kept aside, for the two weeks that India looked to be dominating the home side on an away tour, Vijay was the forefront of the proceedings. In the first Test of the 2014 tour, at Nottingham, Vijay, playing only his first innings on the English soil, set the Indian hopes soaring through his majestic 146 in the first innings of the series, and followed that up with a 52 in the second innings.

While the dead surface there prevented the game from having a result, England’s suicide mission at Lord’s, in the second Test gave India their first victory at the touted ‘home of cricket’ after 28 years. Vijay’s 95 in the second innings helped India pose a challenging target of 319 for England to chase down in the 4th innings, which the Englishmen, stupendously, tried to run after and failed.

From a relatively unconquered territory, India, thereafter, moved to a completely unconquered territory. The 2014-15 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series was best remembered for Virat Kohli and Steven Smith’s run-fests, and the tragic departure of Phil Hughes just before the first Test. But, with scores of 53, 99, 144, 27, 68, 11, 0 and 80, Vijay had an excellent outing, which was unfortunately subdued by his teammate’s superhuman efforts.

The 150 that he scored upon his return to the subcontinent thereafter, against Bangladesh in Fatullah, laid the prelude to a string of exceptional knocks on exceptionally challenging Indian surfaces. In Kumar Sangakkara’s last Test, at the P Sara Oval, Colombo, in August 2015, Vijay’s 82 helped India set Sri Lanka a monumental target of 413 in the 4th innings, and Ravichandran Ashwin, thereafter, denied the Lankan legend a winning farewell.

Much hue and cry prevailed post the first three Tests of the Gandhi-Mandela series, and much of it was justified. Notwithstanding the questions marks raised over the pitch that caused the team that had AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla get bowled out for 79, Vijay’s knocks of 75, 47, 28* and 40 in the first four innings of the series not only set the perfect example for those advocating against the prodigious turn that the pitches had on offer, but also elevated Vijay’s stature as a patient, technically sound and a gritty batsman, who could now bat on glassy surfaces, if needed.

Hence, from two innings of substance out of 16 that he played outside Asia, Vijay now had 2 centuries and six fifties outside the subcontinent since July 2014 from 18 innings. The likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli have found it relatively easier to bat, because Vijay has, more often than not, provided India with a solid foundation at the top of the order.

With 17 Test matches coming up for this season, Vijay’s role becomes all the more important. Given Shikhar Dhawan’s clandestine affair with consistency and KL Rahul’s relative inexperience in Test cricket, Vijay needs to be one to take the onus upon himself to make India start these Tests well.