All-rounder Vijay Shankar has declared that he is stepping away from competitive domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League. Sharing the decision on his official Instagram account, Vijay said he wants to move on to fresh chances and spend more time playing the game. “I have decided to retire from playing domestic cricket and IPL to pursue new opportunities and play more cricket,” he wrote.
Vijay began his journey with Tamil Nadu, making his debut for the home side in 2012. He went on to represent them for 13 years before making a late move to Tripura ahead of the 2025–26 season. He also completed his full age-group pathway with Tamil Nadu, starting from the U13 level.
Across formats, Vijay leaves behind a sizeable domestic record: 77 first-class matches, 4,253 runs and 43 wickets. In List A cricket, he played 112 games, scoring 2,790 runs and claiming 73 wickets, while his T20 tally stands at 159 matches with 2,583 runs and 38 wickets.
His IPL career began in 2013 with Chennai Super Kings, but he featured in only one match the following year. He returned to the league in 2017 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he played four games. In 2018, he was part of Delhi Capitals’ squad and contributed with 212 runs alongside one wicket, before going back to Sunrisers Hyderabad for the next three seasons from 2019 through 2021.
Vijay then joined Gujarat Titans during their title-winning campaign in 2022, though he appeared in only four matches. His most productive batting year in the tournament arrived in 2023, when he amassed 301 runs at a strike rate of 160.10.
He earned a return to Chennai Super Kings in 2025, but a disappointing run meant he failed to attract interest in the subsequent auction. Vijay’s journey also included national call-ups, with him playing 12 ODIs and 9 T20Is during 2018–19.
That period featured a spot in the ODI World Cup 2019, where he was selected for the role of a No. 4 batter with the ability to add value with medium-pace and movement under English conditions. Vijay appeared in three matches at the tournament, but an injury picked up during net practice ended his campaign early. Still, he left with a lasting moment: he replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar during the middle of an over against Pakistan and took the wicket of Imam Ul Haq with what was his first delivery at the mega event.
“Thankful to BCCI and the Indian Cricket Team – many learnings, countless memories and various inspirations! Representing the country will be my highest badge of honour. Bowling the last over at India’s 500th ODI at Nagpur and my first ball first wicket at the 2019 world cup are moments I will hold onto forever,” Vijay wrote.
The Nagpur ODI he refers to was the match where India defended 11 runs in the final over against Australia to secure their 500th ODI win. In his post, Vijay also expressed gratitude to the coaches and teammates who shaped his journey from club cricket onward, while taking aim at the online hate he said he had faced recently.
“I have faced unreal hate and negativity. Let me take this opportunity to let you know that I chose to ignore and move forward. If I can do that, anyone can! Think positive and work hard. Cricket has taught me life. Cricket is my life,” Vijay added.
