Ater being dropped for the last two Tests in England, Indian opening batsman Murali Vijay has underscored his determination to return to the set-up soon.
“I will be back playing for India. I am positive, will sort a few things out, make runs – (but) firstly, I want India to win the series in England,” Vijay, 34, said.
India are trailing England 2-1 in the five-match series, and Vijay, who had endured a lean patch either side of his century in the home Test against Afghanistan earlier this year, managed 20, 6, 0 and 0 from four innings in England, the last two innings earning him a pair in the second Test at Lord’s, before being dropped from the XI for the third Test. In India’s last away series, against South Africa in January this year, Vijay returned 1, 13, 46, 9, 8 and 25 from six innings.
“It is not the first time this has happened to me,” he said. “I believe age is only a number. As long as my feet move and my head is still, I will continue to play.”
On his last tour of England, Vijay scored 402 runs in five Tests at 40.20, including a century and two fifties, and stood head and shoulders above the rest of India batsman. He showed great expertise in ‘leaving’ the ball but that wasn’t the case this time around.
“The English pacemen had their game plan worked out this time, bowling closer to my body and making me play a lot more deliveries,” explained Vijay, who has scored 3933 runs from 59 Tests at 39.33.
