I will get used to the new coach, says India Test opener Murali Vijay

India’s Test opener Murali Vijay has been one of the most consistent batsmen for the national team in the longest format of the game. His opening stands with KL Rahul, and his liking towards stitching long partnerships with Cheteshwar Pujara has labelled him as a dependable Test batsman.

Vijay, however, has been forced to stay off the cricket field following a shoulder injury he picked up during the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He had to undergo surgery on his shoulder and was therefore sidelined for the entire IPL season.

Confident of being back in the team soon: Vijay

However, the Tamil Nadu batsman has been recovering, and in an interview, with Times of India he about his injury and assured his fans that he has been recovering well.

“I have been fighting injuries for the last three years and I fought through them so far. But this one had to be dealt with differently and that forced me to stay out of the game for a longer period of time. I am happy that I am fighting it out well and confident of being back in the team soon, rather than calling it quits,” he said.

“This break is helping me introspect and have better mental clarity as to how to go about things in the future. To play at the highest level, I believe that a cricketer has to be mentally clear and strong as much as being physically fit. For me, it is very frustrating not to to be playing cricket. But I have decided to take this as a good break spend more time with my family and friends,” Vijay added.

Upon being asked about the fiasco between coach Anil Kumble and captain of the Indian team Virat Kohli, ‘Monk’ said that he would get used to the next man in charge no matter who it is. Kumble recently stepped down as the head coach of the Indian team after a successful year in office.

Optimistic about next coach

“Whoever comes in as the next coach, I will get used to him. I only think about what I can bring to the table. And that has been my attitude towards the game since the beginning. Obviously, a cordial atmosphere within the team would be helpful for the Indian cricket to achieve great heights,” he quipped.

The opener also praised India’s performance in the ICC Champions Trophy, despite their humiliating defeat in the final at the hands of Pakistan. Incidentally, Vijay was a part of the Indian squad which lifted the Champions Trophy back in 2013 under MS Dhoni’s leadership.

“Each match had its own challenges and they came over them quite well. For us, it is easy to sit outside and comment, but you will realise the difficulty only when you go out and actually play. The finals was just one bad day for India. Otherwise, they perform well consistently. It’s time we forgot that bad match and move forward,” he said.

With the 2nd season of the TNPL round the corner, Vijay expected the likes of Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan and other outstation players to play in the league. He mentioned that rubbing shoulders with these stalwarts would be a wonderful experience for the youngsters of Tamil Nadu.