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India opener Murali Vijay announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket on Monday. Vijay played his last match for India in the 2018 Perth Test, while his final first-class game playing for his state team Tamil Nadu came in the Ranji Trophy in December 2019.
38-year-old Vijay played for India in 87 international matches across all formats. He played 61 Tests, 17 ODIs and 9 T20Is in his international career that began in November 2008 when he made his Test debut in the last Test of the 2008-09 Border Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur. His last appearance in professional cricket was in the IPL in September 2020.
In a nine-year-long international career, Vijay scored 3982 runs from 105 innings in 61 Test matches at an average of 38.28, which included 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries. In ODIs, he played 17 matches, scoring 339 runs at an average of 21.18 with one half-century, while from his 9 T20Is, he scored 169 runs at an average of 18.77.
Though Vijay was considered a specialist Test opener, he also played 106 IPL games and captained Delhi Daredevils (now Capitals) and Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). He scored 2619 runs in the IPL at an average of 25.9 with two centuries and 13 half-centuries at a strike rate of 121.9
However, most of his success with the bat came while playing for his home team Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with whom he won two IPL titles, in 2010 and 2011. The 2011 IPL season was particularly special for Vijay as he was awarded the Player-of-the-Match in the final for scoring 95 off 52 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Vijay was considered a classical Test opener with a sound technique who could see off the new ball by defending and leaving well. As an opener, he was praised for his special ability to leave the ball well while being accurately aware of his off-stump. His highest score of 167 in Tests came against Australia in Hyderabad in 2013.
Vijay was at his peak between 2013-18 and formed a solid opening partnership with another left-handed opener Shikhar Dhawan. The Vijay-Dhawan duo scored 1748 runs in 41 matches while opening together at an average of 43.70.
For this brilliant record, they became the third-best opening pair for India in Test cricket. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir are the best opening pair for India with 4412 runs, while Chetan Chauhan and Sunil Gavaskar are the second-best with 3010 runs.
Vijay faced the most balls and scored the second-most runs for his team during India’s away Test tours from December 2013 to January 2015 in South Africa, New Zealand, England and Australia. He was also one of only three Indian players who averaged more than 40.
One of Vijay’s most memorable innings came in difficult overseas conditions as he helped India to draw a Test against England with his 145 and 52 at Trent Bridge in July 2014. Another stand-out knock of his career came in December later that year when he smashed a brilliant 144 against Australia in Brisbane.
Vijay took to social media to announce his retirement and said, “Today, with immense gratitude & humility, I announce my retirement from all forms of International cricket.
“My journey from 2002-2018 has been the most wonderful years of my life for it was an honour representing India at the highest level of sport.
“I am grateful for the opportunities given to me by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA), Chennai Super Kings and Chemplast Sanmar.
“To all my teammates, coaches, mentors and support staff: It has been an absolute privilege to have played with you all, and, I thank you all for helping turn my dream into reality.
“To cricket fans that have supported me through the ups & downs of international sport, I will forever cherish the moments I spent with you all and your support has always be a source of motivation for me.
“Lastly, I would like to thank my family & friends for their unconditional love and support throughout my career. They have been my backbone and without them, I would not have been able to achieve what I have today.”
Vijay also expressed his interest in exploring new opportunities in cricket and its business side while also continuing to play cricket in different environments.
“I am excited to announce that I will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket & the business side of it, where I will also continue to participate in the sport that I love and challenge myself in new and different environments. I believe that this is the next step in my journey as a cricketer and I look forward to this new chapter in my life.
“I wish all my former teammates and the Indian cricket team all the best for their future endeavours. Thank you for all the memories,” he added.
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