Vijay Shankar Bids Farewell to Cricket Career
Vijay Shankar Announces Retirement
Vijay Shankar, the former all-rounder for India, has officially declared his retirement from both domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). This marks the end of a professional journey that lasted over ten years, encompassing domestic leagues, IPL, and international matches.
A Heartfelt Message
The 35-year-old shared his retirement news via a touching social media post, expressing his desire to explore "new opportunities and play more cricket" after stepping away from the domestic scene. He reflected on his lifelong passion for cricket, stating, "Cricket is my life. I began playing at the age of 10, and 25 years later, I feel grateful and blessed to have competed at every level. Representing my country remains one of my proudest achievements."
Career Highlights
Vijay Shankar emerged from Tamil Nadu's robust domestic cricket framework, making his debut for the state in 2012. He played for Tamil Nadu for 13 seasons before joining Tripura for the 2025-26 season. Throughout his career, he participated in 77 first-class matches, accumulating 4,253 runs and claiming 43 wickets. Additionally, he played 112 List A matches and 159 T20 games in domestic cricket.
On the international stage, he represented India in 12 ODIs and nine T20Is from 2018 to 2019, gaining recognition as a seam-bowling all-rounder. Notably, he was part of the Indian squad for the 2019 ODI World Cup in England, where he made an impressive debut by dismissing Pakistan's Imam-ul-Haq with his first delivery in the tournament after stepping in for an injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Memorable Moments
Reflecting on his career, Vijay mentioned, "Bowling the last over in India's 500th ODI at Nagpur and taking my first wicket with my first ball at the 2019 World Cup are memories I will cherish forever." He expressed gratitude towards the BCCI and the Indian team management for their support.
IPL Career and the '3D Player' Label
In the IPL, Vijay played for several franchises, including Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, and Gujarat Titans. He scored a total of 1,233 runs in the league, with his standout season occurring in 2023 when he scored 301 runs at a strike rate exceeding 160. He was part of the Gujarat Titans' championship-winning team in 2022 and returned to CSK in 2025 for his final IPL season.
Addressing the criticism he faced during his career, particularly regarding the '3D player' label during the 2019 World Cup selection discussions, Vijay stated, "I have encountered significant negativity. I chose to ignore it and move forward. If I can do that, anyone can. Stay positive and work hard," he advised in his retirement announcement.
He concluded his message by embracing the label that followed him throughout his career, referring to himself as "Your 3D cricketer, Vijay Shankar."