The veteran has represented Tamil Nadu for 12 seasons
Tamil Nadu were dealt a blow ahead of the beginning of the 2025-26 domestic season as all-rounder Vijay Shankar has sought NOC (No-Objection Certificate) from Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), according to a report.
The lack of opportunities in white-ball cricket might be a reason behind the India all-rounder decision to look for opportunities elsewhere. In the 2021 SMAT, Shankar starred for Tamil Nadu with 199 runs from six matches at a strike rate of 130 when they won the tournament with a last-ball win against Karnataka. He also played a crucial role in Tamil Nadu finishing as the runners-up in 2021 SMAT with 210 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 135.
In the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, Vijay played six matches and scored 188 runs while averaging 37. That was the most matches the all-rounder got with the state side in the last four editions of the tournament.
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However, his red-ball chances with the team have been good. He played six matches in the recent Ranji Trophy and scored 476 runs at an average of 52 which included two hundreds and a fifty. In the previous season, he scored 457 runs from nine matches at an average of 45. In the 2022-23 season, he scored 483 runs from four matches which included three hundreds and two fifties.
Vijay made his First-Class debut for Tamil Nadu as a 21-year old in the 2012-13 Ranji season and made his Vijay Hazare debut in the same season. The next year, he also made his senior T20 debut against Andhra.
He also featured for various teams in the Duleep Trophy as well as for Rest of India in the Irani Cup. In total, Vijay has played 70 FC matches and scored 3,702 runs at an average of 45. He has 11 hundreds and 22 fifties to his name. With the ball, he has 43 wickets which include two four-wicket hauls.
Vijay’s exit means Tamil Nadu will have to find an able replacement for the veteran in the batting department. B Sai Sudharsan, now being considered for the national team and Narayan Jagadeesan in the scheme of things for India A, Tamil Nadu need reinforcements in the top and middle order.
