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Gujarat Titans all-rounder Vijay Shankar is thankful to Ashish Nehra for showing faith in him despite a poor start to his GT career back in 2022. Shankar, who has been in tremendous form this season, played 4 matches back in the team’s 2022 campaign and just scored 19 runs.
Gujarat kept the batter in their team and are now repeaing the rewards with the right-hander hitting 205 runs from 8 matches, his best ever outing in the Indian Premier League. Shankar, in an interview with News18, spoke about Nehra’s impact on him and the team and said that it is the former fast bowler’s down to earth attitude that creates the magic in the camp.
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“To be very honest, the season that I had last year. And for me to be retained and then play and do well, a lot of credit must go to him. If not for him, I wouldn’t have been playing here. You can actually see that he has played a lot of cricket. Whatever he speaks, he explains and expresses it in such a way that we either understand,” Shankar said in an interview with News18.
The all-rounder said that Nehra’s energy sets him apart and so does his treatment of every single member of the Gujarat contingent.
“He finds a way to get everyone involved in the game and on the same page. Be it the captain or net bowler. All are equal. The last year, the first time we met, that was the first thing he said, ‘no captain, no net bowler. All are equal’,” Shankar said in the interview.
Chatter has started among the fans over a spot for Shankar in the ODI World Cup squad. With the tournament set to be played later this year, Shankar’s six-hitting ability certainly makes for an exciting prospect. But the all-rounder is not focused on that and is working on his work ethic instead.
“I am not thinking much of it honestly because it’s a long way from here and If I keep doing what I am doing, things will eventually happen. I don’t have to dream of getting into the World Cup team or getting back into the Indian team, I think if you are on the right path, things will happen automatically,” Shankar said on the chances of his World Cup selection.
Shankar will next be seen playing against Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday, 7 May.
