Vijay Shankar wouldn't even have been selected for that high-pressure World Cup encounter against Pakistan if not for opener Shikhar Dhawan's injury.
Yet, he was there batting in the lower middle-order versus the arch-rivals, giving finishing touches to the Indian innings adorned by a top-class hundred from Rohit Sharma.
But what really made the game memorable for the Tamil Nadu-born cricketer was dismissing Imam Ul Haq of his very first ball after being asked to complete the over of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who limped off the field with a hamstring issue.
"Yeah, that as well as making my WC debut against Pakistan,” Shankar told the New Indian Express. "It (the wicket) happened very quickly. The captain might sometimes tell you in advance but sometimes a bowler might get injured and you should be ready. That’s what happened."
"I was standing at point and Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) got injured and they just called me up. All I was thinking was ‘just bowl in the right areas’."
Dhawan's injury gave KL Rahul a spot in the team and also promotion up the order, which subsequently paved way for Shankar to bat at the No.4 position against Afghanistan and West Indies.
"When you join the Indian team, it’s very clear. I know for a fact that if I play, I will go in at No 4 if there is an early wicket. If not, I will have to be flexible enough. I think that was very clear," Shankar added.
However, the 29-year-old's World Cup came to an abrupt end after he sustained a toe injury while batting in the nets ahead of the next match versus England.
Shankar hasn't played at international level since, but was part of the India A side that faced South Africa at home and went to New Zealand earlier this year after recovering from injury and enjoying a good domestic season for Tamil Nadu.
"I have been working on all aspects of the game and formats," he said. "I have been doing well consistently for India A, so all that actually gave me this call-up. If I had my Test debut, it would have been memorable but nothing’s over. I just keep trying to do my best to get my Test cap."
(Inputs from New Indian Express)
