Batting-order flexibility has become a key factor in modern white-ball cricket, and former India all-rounder Vijay Shankar believes players who can seamlessly adapt to different roles are increasingly valuable in a format driven by situational demands.
Shubman Gill has been instrumental in Gujarat Titans' success, participating in 11 of the franchise's 13 century partnerships since 2022. His recent 70-run innings against Delhi Capitals, coupled with a 104-run stand with Washington Sundar, underscores his importance as a premier batter. Gill is also nearing 4,000 IPL runs.
Ahead of the mini-auction, scheduled to be held in Doha on December 26, the 10 franchises have released their list of retained and released players.
Tamil Nadu all-rounder Vijay Shankar will replace suspended Hardik Pandya for India's ongoing ODI series in Australia, while rookie Punjab opener Shubman Gill will be joining the national team during the limited over series in New Zealand.
The selectors had picked him in the squad without testing him in the Ranji games.
Hardik attributed Shankar's success to being 'fitter and more confident'. He could just be one of the catalysts in GT's defending their title.
Shankar claimed two crucial wickets to bag the Match of the Match award as India defeated Bangladesh by six wickets in the second T20 international in the tri-series on Thursday.
Chennai Super Kings will lean on their formidable spin strength under favourable conditions at the Chepauk as well as recent record against Mumbai Indians sans Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya, when the two sides face each other in their Indian Premier League campaign opener in Chennai on Sunday.
Calm was the need of the hour and the batters understood that to the T. They converted the singles into twos, scored the odd boundary every over and played no false shots.
Mumbai Indians have the upper hand given their current form despite having lost to CSK in their IPL season-opener in Chepauk.
The duo's stand of 87 off 39 balls took GT pass the finish line and to the top of the table.
We could have chased better, says Vijay Shankar
Kohli has constructed a mini hot streak, making four fifties in his last five innings and pushing for Orange Cap with 443 runs.
GT all-rounder Vijay Shankar believes Captain Shubman Gill's leadership style isn't the issue, comparing it to former skipper Hardik Pandya.
Both Hardik and Shankar are known to hit big sixes, the former using a bit more brute power with his impeccable timing.
Fifties by skipper Shreyas Iyer and veteran Ajinkya Rahane carried Mumbai to a five-wicket win over Maharashtra in a Group C match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy in Hyderabad on Wednesday.
Royal Challengers Bangalor will attempt to break a 17-year jinx at the Chepauk stadium when they face Chennai Super Kings in the IPL match on Friday.
It will be a test of wits between two new captains in Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya when defending champions Chennai Super Kings clash with debutants Gujarat Titans in the IPL match in Pune on Sunday.
Vijay Shankar said that he is not looking at being a mere survivor in the Indian team but someone who can perform for long time.
Vijay Shankar said confidence in his ability to adapt helped him get over his surprise at being asked to bowl earlier than he expected
All about IPL 2025 which kicks off on March 22, Saturday.
India overcame a disastrous start to beat New Zealand by 35 runs in the fifth and final One-Day International in Wellington on Sunday and finish the series with a 4-1 scoreline in their favour.
The 28-year-old all-rounder figures prominently in India's World Cup plans. Shankar has showed that he is a capable batsman, having scored 45 off 64 deliveries in a match-winning 98-run stand with Ambati Rayudu after the top-order collapse in the final ODI in New Zealand.
Vijay Shankar could well be the 'joker in the pack' if the Indian team management decides to try him
Vijay Shankar and Shreyas Iyer scripted a superb chase to help India 'A' notch up a thrilling four-wicket win over New Zealand 'A' in a high-scoring unofficial, in Mount Maunganui, on Friday.
Shankar believes how he prepares will be the key factor going into the tournament.
India plan to groom rookie Vijay Shankar as a back-up pace bowling all-rounder with an eye on future overseas tours, skipper Virat Kohli said.
Arun would not disclose if Shankar was being considered at the number four position, a place captain Virat Kohli filled in the fourth ODI in Mohali.
The paucity of pace-bowling all-rounders in Indian cricket played a role in Hardik Pandya being fast-tracked into the senior team but he deserves credit for making the most of his rare talent, says former captain and under-19 coach Rahul Dravid.
Hardik Pandya will be aiming to build on the rich legacy of his predecessor Rohit Sharma when he begins his Mumbai Indians captaincy stint in the IPL 2024 match against Gujarat Titans, a team that the star all-rounder himself marshalled over last two seasons, in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Punjab youngster Shubman Gill would be keen to prove his credentials during the upcoming five-match ODI series against South Africa 'A'.
New pace sensation Mayank Yadav will be closely followed by all and sundry after his match-winning performances as Lucknow Super Giants eye a hat-trick of wins when they take on an inconsistent Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League match in Lucknow on Sunday.
The Tamil Nadu all-rounder, who was part of the team for two Tests during the Test series against Sri Lanka last year, said that sharing dressing room helped him learn a lot.
A depleted Gujarat Titans bowling attack will have to raise its game by quite a few notches to stop a marauding Sunrisers Hyderabad, fresh from its record total against Mumbai Indians, in the upcoming afternoon IPL match in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
Vijay Shankar is dealing with as he tries to move on from a "disheartening" off day that nearly cost India the Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh.
The demand for diamonds will invariably affect the domestic industry as India has expertise in diamond cutting and polishing, says Shankar Pandya, chairman, Diamond India.
Hardik Pandya has quit Gujarat Titans to rejoin his former team Mumbai Indians, following a trade between the two franchises.
Vijay Shankar had been hoping for a national call-up for a while now but his elevation in the India Test team came as a surprise to the Tamil Nadu all-rounder.
There has been debate over Shankar being picked in the England-bound India team ahead of Ambati Rayudu, with the selectors saying they went for the 'three-dimensional skills' offered by the Tamil Nadu player.
Aiming at rough diamond imports of $1 billion annually, Diamond India Ltd, a grouping of 60 traders, is looking at markets other than Russia to scale up its imports.
