Vijay Hazare Trophy 2018: Murali Vijay and Washington Sundar named in Tamil Nadu squad
Discarded Indian Test opener Murali Vijay and all-rounder Washington Sundar have been named in the Tamil Nadu side for their remaining games of the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy. The duo will be replacing top-order batsman and fast bowler V Yo Mahesh in the remaining three matches.
Vijay, who was dropped from the Indian Test side after the third Test against England, decided to play for Essex in the County Championships to prove his form ahead of the West Indies and Australia series. But, the right-hander was overlooked for the upcoming two-match series against West Indies at home that gets underway on October 4. With Vijay not included in the Tamil Nadu side, he has been roped into the Tamil Nadu side as they are looking to seal their place in the knockouts.
Washington Sundar, on the other hand, had a great start to 2018 as he was named the Player of the Tournament in the Nidahas Trophy earlier this year and was rewarded with a place in the Indian team for the subsequent T20I and ODI series against England.
Unfortunately, the all-rounder injured his ankle while training before the Ireland T20Is and was ruled out of the tour. He underwent surgery and was undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and it looks like the Royal Challengers Bangalore man has regained full fitness and thus, earned a call-up to his state side.
Though it has been five months since Washington last played a competitive match, the all-rounder, along with Vijay, is expected to walk into the Tamil Nadu side. Out of the six games they played so far, Tamil Nadu have registered four wickets and are fifth in the table with 16 points with a NRR of +1.077.
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TN will have to win their next three matches against Tripura, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana and hope for other results to go their way to make it to the quarter-finals.