Murali Vijay, former team India’s test batter, has taken a sharp dig at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as he said he is now looking for cricketing opportunities abroad after being done with the Indian cricket board.
In the interview with WV Raman, Vijay expressed his desire to play competitive cricket again, after being axed from the Indian side for nearly four years.
Notably, Murali Vijay last featured for team India back in 2018 when India toured Australia. The opener batter was featured in the Perth test and since then he has been overlooked for the selection owing to his poor run of form. Meanwhile, his domestic career with Tamil Nadu also saw a complete break post 2019 Ranji Trophy. Vijay was part of the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) last year and since then he has been out of cricket action completely.
“I am almost done with BCCI (smiles) and looking for opportunities abroad. I want to play little bit of competitive cricket,” Vijay told WV Raman on Wednesdays with WV, a weekly show on Sportstar.
Murali Vijay has scored over 3900 runs in 61 test games with 12 centuries and 15 half-centuries. In 17 ODI games, the batter has amassed 339 runs with just a solitary fifty.
The opener batter was at his peak during India’s England tour in 2014 when he faced over 1000 test deliveries. While most cricket fans would remember that tour for Virat Kohli’s terrible show, they certainly missed out on the grit shown by Vijay.
Vijay further opined how people perceive players on the basis of their age, which according to him needs a change.
“After 30 in India, it’s a taboo (smiles). I think people see us as 80-year-olds walking on street. The media should also address it differently. I feel you are peaking in your 30s. Sitting here right now, I feel I can bat the best way I can. But unfortunately, the opportunities were less, and I had to search for chances outside.
“I honestly feel as a person, you can only do what’s in your hand. You can’t control the uncontrollable. Whatever happened happened.”
Interestingly, there have been instances in the past as well when Indian cricketers have shown interest in taking part in cricket actions abroad after getting ignored by the selectors.