Vijay Shankar Bids Farewell To All Forms Of Indian Cricket

Pearl Doshi May 23, 2026 23 Views

Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar announced his retirement from all forms of Indian cricket on May 22, 2026. The 35-year-old, who represented India in ODIs and T20Is and was part of the 2019 World Cup squad, confirmed he will step away from domestic cricket and the IPL to pursue new opportunities overseas.

Vijay Shankar, a dependable middle-order batsman and medium-pace bowler from Tamil Nadu, shared an emotional farewell message on social media. He expressed gratitude to the BCCI, his IPL franchises, and domestic teams, while recalling memorable highlights such as bowling the final over in India’s 500th ODI and taking a wicket with his very first ball in the 2019 World Cup.

International Career

Shankar played 12 ODIs and 9 T20Is for India between 2018 and 2019.
He scored 324 runs and took 9 wickets in international cricket.
Selected ahead of Ambati Rayudu for the 2019 ODI World Cup, he featured in three matches before a toe injury ruled him out.
His standout performance came against Pakistan at Old Trafford, where he took 2/22, including a wicket with his first ball in World Cup cricket.

Domestic And IPL Journey

Shankar was a mainstay for Tamil Nadu, captaining them to Vijay Hazare, Deodhar, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy titles.
He later represented Tripura in domestic cricket.
In the IPL, he played 78 matches, scoring 1,233 runs and taking 9 wickets.
He represented CSK, SRH, DC, and Gujarat Titans, including being part of GT’s title-winning run in 2022.

Retirement Statement

In his farewell note, Shankar wrote: “Cricket is my life. Representing our country will always be one of my proudest and happiest moments. Bowling the last over at India’s 500th ODI at Nagpur and my first ball, first wicket at the 2019 World Cup are moments I will hold onto forever.” He signed off as “Your 3D cricketer”, a nod to his controversial 2019 World Cup selection.

Career Highlights

•⁠ ⁠Represented India in 12 ODIs and 9 T20Is

•⁠ ⁠Scored 324 runs and took 9 wickets internationally

•⁠ ⁠Part of India’s 2019 ODI World Cup squad

•⁠ ⁠Captained Tamil Nadu to multiple domestic titles

•⁠ ⁠Played 78 IPL matches across four franchises

•⁠ ⁠Member of Gujarat Titans’ 2022 title-winning squad

•⁠ ⁠Retired to pursue overseas cricket opportunities

Sources: The Hans India, ESPNcricinfo, Times of India, Cricbuzz, India TV News

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