Vijay Shankar Joins Tripura Ahead of 2025-26 Domestic Season. Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar has officially parted ways with his long-time state team, Tamil Nadu, and will now represent Tripura in the upcoming 2025-26 domestic season.
Vijay Shankar received his No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) and is ready to embark on this new chapter in his domestic career. Having been a stalwart for Tamil Nadu since 2012, he leaves behind an impressive record.
In 81 Ranji Trophy innings for Tamil Nadu, Vijay Shankar scored 3,142 runs at an average of 44.25, including 11 centuries and 16 half-centuries. With the ball, he also claimed 43 wickets for the side, underlining his value as a genuine all-rounder.
“I can’t just sit out and hand out water”: Vijay Shankar
“Sometimes, when you’re forced to make a decision, you need to move on and seek new opportunities. I feel I’ve been performing well. More importantly, I just want to play cricket. I can’t go out there and simply sit on the sidelines—it’s tough after playing for so many years,” Shankar said.
He also expressed the lack of clarity he faced regarding his exclusion from matches.
“Last year, I was dropped for the first two Ranji games and then made a comeback. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, I was again left out for the last two games. That uncertainty was hard to handle. At some point, you need clarity, and I wasn’t getting it,” he explained.
Vijay Shankar added, “I never felt secure with the selectors. Eventually, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I was glad that our coach, M. Senthilnathan, spoke to me about what the selectors were thinking. That made me realize there was no point in staying and fighting to continue in this setup—it was too difficult.”
Notably, Vijay Shankar has represented India in 12 ODIs and nine T20Is. He is currently part of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and also played for the team in IPL 2025. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy, he recorded his career-best score of 150 runs in a match against Chandigarh.