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Vijay Shankar is reportedly set to leave Tamil Nadu for Tripura after receiving TNCA clearance, seeking a fresh start.
Tamil Nadu batter Vijay Shankar (Picture credit: AP)
Former Tamil Nadu captain Vijay Shankar is reportedly leaving his home state for Tripura. According to Sportstar, Shankar has already received his no-objection certificate from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and will join the North-Eastern side for the upcoming season.
The report said Shankar is looking for a fresh challenge after a couple of difficult years in Tamil Nadu, where he doesn’t seem like the sure-shot starter he once used to be. The 34-year-old was left out of the state squad for the second round of the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament. That continues a pattern of non-starts from last year’s Ranji Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
A batting all-rounder who has represented India at the World Cup, Shankar will take to Tripura an experience of 70 First Class matches and 3702 runs at an average of 45.14. He also has 43 wickets. As a captain, he has won three titles — the Vijay Hazare and Deodhar Trophy in 2016-17 and the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy in 2021-22.
“He has made immense contributions to TN cricket, and it is appreciated by one and all,” the report quoted Tamil Nadu head coach M. Senthilnathan as saying. “Now that he has decided to move away from the state team, we will miss him and wish him the best. At the same time, we have a good talent pool. This now opens up a slot for some of the younger players to grab the opportunity and do well for the team.”
He’s the second seasoned player from Tamil Nadu to leave the team in recent months after Baba Aparajith joined Kerala in 2024.
Crucially, this news comes only hours after Hanuma Vihari made his move to Tripura public. The 31-year-old former Andhra Pradesh captain and India batter said Tripura would give him the opportunity to play all three formats, which he wasn’t going to get at AP anymore.
Both Shankar and Vihari would bring leadership experience to Tripura and would hope that the opportunity would allow them to make a push for at least better IPL contracts, if not an India call-up.
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