'I told selectors to drop me after four ducks': Murali Vijay's big revelation on his playing days

Former Indian opening batter Murali Vijay holds his Tamil Nadu debut as his most significant personal achievement, recalling the moment he received his cap with a profound sense of accomplishment. However, the start of his journey was far from smooth. He endured a rocky introduction to the professional circuit, registering four ducks while playing in the Under-22 format. This poor form led him to doubt his abilities, to the extent that he asked the selectors to drop him, genuinely feeling that the level of competition was too high for him to handle.

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I went and told the selectors, please drop me and give somebody else a chance: Murali Vijay

Despite his early struggles, former CSK star later evolved into a reliable opener known for his ability to convert initial starts into substantial scores. One such monumental innings involved a record-breaking 462-run opening stand he shared with Abhinav Mukund. This extraordinary performance proved to be the turning point that earned him his first Test call-up for the Indian national team in the 2008-09 season, where he was brought in as a replacement for Gautam Gambhir.

"It's the biggest achievement I've ever had playing for Tamil Nadu. When the cap came to me, that was something else for me, and I felt a sense of accomplishment. I felt I finally made it. So I played under 22 and got four ducks, and I felt like this level is too high for me. I didn't play, I didn't get exposed to the professional level of cricket. So, the first time I got it was a disaster for me. I went and told the selectors, please drop me and give somebody else a chance," Murali Vijay said on Taruwar Kohli's YouTube channel.

Murali Vijay's international career

Vijay was given a good chance to cement his place in the Indian Test team during the 2012-13 series against Australia, an opportunity he turned into a jackpot. He delivered spectacularly by scoring back-to-back 150s, showcasing his ability to succeed at the highest level. This performance quickly established him as India's first-choice opener, a position he solidified during the high-stakes Test series in Australia in 2014-15, where he emerged as India's second-highest run-scorer, trailing only Virat Kohli.

Vijay's international career began in 2008 when he replaced Gautam Gambhir for the final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur. Over the course of his journey, he represented India in 87 matches across all formats, including 61 Tests, 17 ODIs, and 9 T20Is. He last played for the national side against Australia in Perth in 2018 and subsequently made his last appearances in first-class and List-A cricket for Tamil Nadu in late 2019. His final professional outing was in the IPL in September 2020. Vijay officially announced his retirement from all formats of international cricket in 2023. During his 87 international appearances for India, Murali Vijay amassed 4,490 runs at a solid average of 34.80 and a strike rate of 48.48. His international record includes 12 centuries and 16 half-centuries.