Vijay Shankar: 'It is frustrating to be out with freak injuries'
Despite not being fully fit, Shankar spent a lot of time being with the team, be it at the Tamil Nadu Premier League or with the state sides, to keep him occupied.
Published : Sep 28, 2019 21:08 IST
Vijay Shankar was beaming with a smile while at the same time looking visibly relieved after Tamil Nadu’s win over Bihar in which he made an unbeaten 91.
And it is understandable, for the 28-year-old has been having a tough time over the last few months. He came back from the World Cup with an injury to his toe that he sustained in the nets, and just when he was ready to play for his comeback with the India A side, he got another blow with a cut to his right thumb webbing during a fielding practice that kept him out again for close to a month now.
“It has been a really frustrating last two-and-a-half months or so ever since I got back from the World Cup because I have been training hard and yet you get these freaky injuries like this,” the India all-rounder told
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Staying positive
Explaining the process of dealing with these constant setbacks just as he is making a mark on the biggest stage, Shankar said, “I was just training hard and pushing myself be it running hard when I am with the team or at the gym.”
“I can’t keep thinking about these things and my family, my close friends and my personal coach (S. Balaji) play a huge role in ensuring I stay positive.”
He recalled, “When I got injured during the India A tour now, I just couldn’t call and tell because I was just so frustrated and disappointed. So I sent a message to my coach and he said keep training hard. Sometimes you need that one message from someone close to you to motivate you and make you keep pushing.”
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Staying occupied
Despite not being fully fit, Shankar spent a lot of time being with the team, be it at the Tamil Nadu Premier League or with the state sides, to keep him occupied.
“I feel when I come and sit with the team I keep doing my things and keep pushing myself. I can’t sit idle at home. I will get depressed so it good to be in a team atmosphere where I can give ideas and be involved. I feel I need to be busy so I don't give myself too much free time to start thinking about my injury.”
Commenting on his efforts on Saturday, he signed off saying: “It was a pretty good game but I can’t be too happy because this is just the start for me after a frustrating two-and-a-half months.”