CHENNAI: India all-rounder Vijay Shankar has officially stepped away from all forms of Indian domestic cricket as well as the IPL, ending a career that also included representing the national side and featuring in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
Key takeaways
- Vijay Shankar announced retirement from both IPL and all Indian domestic cricket.
- He played for India in 12 ODI matches and nine T20Is, contributing 324 runs and nine wickets across the formats.
- During the 2019 ODI World Cup, he took a wicket with his first ball of the tournament against Pakistan, before a toe injury curtailed his run.
- In first-class cricket, Shankar amassed 4,253 runs and 43 wickets in 77 matches.
- His IPL career delivered 1,233 runs in 78 appearances across Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans.
- His most recent Ranji Trophy outing included an unbeaten 151 against Gujarat, after he moved to Tripura ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Career numbers across formats
Over the years, Shankar built a reputation as a reliable all-rounder for Tamil Nadu and later for multiple franchises in the IPL. At the international level, he represented India in 12 ODI contests and nine T20Is, finishing with 324 runs and nine wickets in total.
At the 2019 ODI World Cup, Shankar produced an early impact by claiming a wicket with his very first delivery of the competition in the match against Pakistan. However, a toe problem later disrupted his campaign and brought his tournament run to an early close.
His domestic record reflected consistent output. In first-class cricket, he posted 4,253 runs and 43 wickets from 77 matches. In List A games, he added 2,790 runs and 73 wickets. In the shortest format of domestic T20s, his returns included 2,583 runs along with 38 wickets.
IPL stints and farewell remarks
In the IPL, Shankar’s stint spanned 78 matches, yielding 1,233 runs. He played under four franchise banners—Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans—during his time in the league.
For the 2025-26 season, Shankar shifted to Tripura and made a strong statement in his final Ranji Trophy match. Against Gujarat, he finished unbeaten on 151, staying at the crease when the innings needed stability.
After announcing the decision, the 35-year-old admitted that retirement was not a straightforward choice. “I have been thinking about retirement for some time. It is not an easy thing to decide, and it took time for me to arrive at it. Eventually, I felt this was the right time to take the call,” he said.
Looking back, Shankar said he valued every stage of his journey. “The journey was quite long, and I really enjoyed every small hurdle I crossed. Injuries, setbacks, representing the country, changing from offspin to medium pace quite late in my career—everything feels very special when I look back now.”
He highlighted that his biggest career moment was wearing the India cap and playing in a World Cup. At the same time, Shankar refused to label any period as his “lowest point,” arguing that setbacks made him stronger rather than holding him back.
“As cricketers, failures are part of the game. Every injury and setback taught me something. I don’t see them as low points. I see them as learnings that helped me move forward,” he added.
One innings he still treasures is his ODI debut-style landmark at Wellington against New Zealand, where he struck 45 after India had slipped to 18-4. Shankar also addressed the backlash and trolling that followed the 2019 World Cup selection debate when he was picked ahead of Ambati Rayudu.
In his retirement note, he signed off as a “3D Cricketer”, referencing the nickname that became closely linked with him during that period. “There will always be opinions and criticism. Earlier, I used to think players should ignore it. But now I feel cricketers have to learn to live with it because you cannot completely avoid seeing it,” he said.
What comes next
While his BCCI-linked domestic journey has ended, Shankar made it clear he still has cricket ambitions left. “I still feel I have a lot of cricket left in me. Hopefully, I can play for a few more years in overseas leagues if opportunities come. I want to explore more cricket in the coming years,” he concluded.
