IPL 2021: How Vijay Shankar can add more value to SRH
While selecting India's squad for the 2019 World Cup, India's then-chief selector justified Vijay Shankar's selection by calling him a 'three-dimensional' player. Shankar started the World Cup on a good note with two wickets against Pakistan, but a tournament-ending injury resulted in his exclusion from India's playing eleven. Two years later, the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) man still hasn't been able to break back into the national setup.
Many critics believe Vijay Shankar is a jack of all trades, but the sad part is that he has not been able to master any one. Vijay is a player who can bat, bowl and field, but he hasn't been able to translate his potential into the kind of performances he is expected to deliver for SRH and India.
Vijay Shankar can perhaps learn from another Indian all-rounder, Hardik Pandya. While Hardik solved India's fifth bowler problem in the ODI's, he has proved that he can walk into the playing eleven as a batsman alone. A back surgery has restricted Pandya from bowling too much, but his big-hitting makes him too good to be carrying drinks for the team.
Similarly, Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik's brother Krunal can walk into a playing eleven on the basis of their batting. India's national setup is now gifted with many other all-rounders, including the likes of Washington Sundar and Shardul Thakur. Vijay Shankar doesn't need to compete with them. All he needs to do right now is be the match-winner SRH need.
Vijay Shankar's performances for SRH can help his Team India chances
Vijay Shankar can complain of getting little match time while playing as the sixth bowler and batting at number six, as he did during SRH's first match of the season against KKR on Sunday. But he has to make the most of these limited opportunities by working hard in the nets.
The T20 game demands quick impact, and that is exactly what Vijay Shankar needs to work on. As a number six batsman, SRH expect him to score quickly, especially while chasing a big total. Similarly, the team expects the sixth bowler to at least contain the opposition's run-flow. These are the aspects Vijay Shankar needs to work on, more than anything else.
Vijay Shankar can certainly bat his team out of trouble if the team loses early wickets. But T20 cricket demands a number six batsman to attack, more than anchor an innings, as was the case in Sunday's match. Vijay should take a leaf out of his own book to increase his dependency in the SRH team.
The 2018 IPL edition was one of Vijay's best, not only in terms of strike rate, but from an average point of view as well. Striking at over 143, Vijay finished innings by remaining not out seven times and maintaining an average of 53. Vijay needs to work on big-hitting and needs to start accelerating from the word go.
But he needs to minimize the risk by attacking certain field positions as well. He can do this by training on the basis of possible match scenarios, and attacking the bowlers with different field setups. Increasing his timing and strength can help Vijay Shankar clear the boundary more often.
As a bowler, Vijay needs to work on his strengths. As a sixth bowler, conventional swing might not help, but reverse swing might. He can work on other aspects as well, such as subtle changes in pace and developing a variety of slower balls.
He needs to vary his length and perfect the yorker. He can take a leaf out of T Natarajan's book, whose key role in most teams is to bowl yorkers. If Vijay Shankar is confident of his pace, he should practice the conventional bouncer as well as a slower bouncer.
Working on different angles, such as round the wicket to right-handers, can help Vijay Shankar choke the batsmen for runs. Bowling wide off the crease might help him become a run-saving option for SRH. As a bowler, Vijay needs to do enough to create a sort of reputation in the opposition batsmen's mind.
Just like many Indian players on the fringes, as far as national selection is concerned, this season needs to be a make-or-break season for Vijay Shankar as well. A mid-season turnaround of sorts will not only help him and SRH, but add to the national selector's headaches as well.
A below-average IPL season, however, won't help his chances in the SRH squad either.