Murali Vijay complete information

India

Full name Murali Vijay

Born April 1, 1984, Chennai

Current age 34 years 237 days

Major teams India, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Kings XI Punjab, Lycia Korai Kings, and Tamil Nadu

Playing role Opening batsman

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm off break

Murali Vijay complete information Early career

Vijay started his cricket at the age of 17. He first played club cricket in Chennai representing Alwarpet in 2003. He was then selected in the Tamil Nadu Under-22 squad for the 2004-05 CK Rayudu Trophy. Tamil Nadu Under-22 won the tournament, but, opening the innings, Vijay averaged just 26.45 in 6 matches. He continued to play club cricket in 2005, before getting selected again in the Tamil Nadu Under-22 squad for the 2005-06 CK Rayudu Trophy. He failed to impress once again, averaging 26.50 in 3 matches.

Despite his below-average performances in club cricket and Under-22 tournaments, Vijay was selected in the Tamil Nadu squad for the Rajni One-day Trophy in February 2006. He made his senior cricket debut in Tamil Nadu’s last group fixture of the tournament, against Karnataka on 16 February, and scored 17 in that match. He scored 38 in the quarterfinal against Railways who won the match by one run.

Vijay rose to prominence during the 2006-07 Rajni Trophy, his debut first-class season, in which he finished as the third highest run-getter of the tournament, only behind Karnataka’s Robin Uthappa and Bengal’s Manon Tiwari. At the start of this tournament, he made his first-class debut against Delhi and scored a fifty in his debut innings.  He accumulated a total of 628 runs at an average of more than 52, including two hundreds and one fifty. He continued his good form in the 2006-07 Rajni One-day Trophy by scoring 277 runs in 7 matches at an average of 39.57 and a high-score of 112.

Vijay played in all seven matches of Tamil Nadu in the 2007-08 Rajni Trophy and scored 582 runs at an average of 58.2 with two hundreds including a high-score of 230* against Saurashtra.  After the conclusion of Rajni Trophy, he was selected in the South Zone squad for 2007-08 Dileep Trophy. He batted at 3 in the first match against North Zone and scored a duck and 39.  In the second game against East Zone, batting at 3 in the first innings, he scored 46, and registered another duck in the second innings while opening the batting.  In the Vijay Hazare Trophy (earlier called Ramji One-day Trophy) that followed, Vijay played seven matches in which he opened the innings thrice and batted at 3 on four occasions. He found success batting at 3, making back-to-back hundreds against Hyderabad and Andhra.

In September 2008, Vijay was picked in the India a team to play against the touring New Zealand a team in two 4-day matches. He carried on his good form and made 45 and 59 in the first match, batting at 3, helping India a win by 129 runs. He opened the innings and scored 98 and 0 in the second match, in which New Zealand a secured victory. In October 2008, Vijay was named in the India Red team for the Challenger Trophy. He played as an opener and finished second among highest run-scorers of the tournament with 164 runs from 3 matches at an average of 54.6

Murali Vijay complete information Test career

Vijay made his Test debut against Australia in the Fourth and final Test of the Border-Gavaskar’s Trophy, in Nagpur, in November 2008. He was selected for the match after Gautam Gambhir received a one-Test ban for elbowing Shane Watson in the Third Test of the same series in Firoz Shah Kgotla in Delhi.  Vijay was participating in a Rajni trophy match at the time, and made his Test debut on the final day of that match.

Of Vijay’s technique, former Australian captain Allan Border said “His defensive shots are so assured. And he looks comfortable of both front and back foot. And when he attacks, he doesn’t go hard at the deliveries. I can see why this young man is playing”.

Vijay partnered Virender Sehwag, and they got India off to a solid start in both innings. Vijay made 33 and 41, contributing to opening stands of 98 and 116. During Australia’s first innings, Vijay caused the first wicket to fall, running out Matthew Hayden with a direct hit from mid on. Hayden was attempting a quick single. He then ran out Michael Hussey when fielding at silly point. Hussey was unaware that Vijay had intercepted the ball at close range and instinctively took a step out of his crease in anticipation of a run, by which time Vijay threw down the stumps. In the second innings, he caught Brett Lee at bat pad from the bowling of Harbhajan Singh to complete his first catch.

Following his performance in his debut Test, Vijay was selected for the Indian ODI squad for the first three matches against the touring England team. He did not get to play, and was dropped after the first three matches upon the return of senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar from a break.

In December 2009, Vijay was given another opportunity in the Test team when Gambhir withdrew from the Third and final Test against Sri Lanka at Barbourin Stadium in Mumbai in order to attend his sister’s wedding. Vijay took two catches at bat pad from Harbhajan in Sri Lanka’s first innings. When India replied, he put on 221 for the first wicket with Sehwag, but was out for 87 in sight of his maiden Test century. The Indians went on to complete an innings victory, and become the number 1 Test team.

Vijay was taken on the tour of Bangladesh in January 2010 as the reserve batsman, and he was called into the team after V. V. S. Laxman injured a finger in the First Test. Vijay played in the Second Test in Mirpur in Laxman’s No. 5 position, scoring 30. In the same match, No. 3 batsman Rahul Dravid was injured after being hit under the jaw by a bouncer, so Vijay then played in David’s position in the two-Test home series against South Africa.

He was later selected as the reserve opener for away series against Sri Lanka in August 2010 and the home series against Australia in October 2010. He played in the Second and Third Tests against Sri Lanka after Gambhir was injured. He got another opportunity when Gambhir, was injured in the first match against Australia and was ruled out of Second Test. Vijay scored 139 runs in the first innings, his maiden Test century, featuring in a triple century partnership with Sachin Tendulkar. Vijay and debutant Chet Eshwar Pujari added 72 runs crucial partnership which helped India complete a 2–0 series win.

Though he was dropped from the national squad, however he was brought back in the 2013 home series against Australia replacing out-of-form Gautam Gambhir. Though Vijay failed in the first test, he scored an assured and well paced 167 in the second Test and put on a 370-run record second wicket partnership with Chet Eshwar Pujari (204). In the third test at Mohali, he scored his second consecutive 150+ score (153) with a strong opening stand of 289 with debutant Shikhar Dhawan, who scored a whopping 187 off just 174 balls. And then added on 92 runs for the third wicket with Sachin Tendulkar (37). He had an amazing series against Australia and was the highest scorer with 430 runs including two centuries both which were 150+ and an amazing half century.

“My main focus was on getting out of the habit of those scores of 30s and 40s because they really haunted me. I had a chat with my coach, Jayakumar, during which we came out with three points: shot selection, shot selection and shot selection. Nothing was wrong technically with my batting, it was only the shot selection that went wrong. Then it came down to fitness – whether I was throwing it away because I got tired? We worked on small aspects like that and it is paying dividends now.”

Murali Vijay complete information Vijay on his batting turnaround in 2014.

Vijay made his first Test century outside India on 10 July 2014 at Trent Bridge against England when he scored 146. He also made a gutsy half-century in the next innings of the same match.

He missed out on consecutive hundred in next match of the same series at the historic Lord’s when he was caught behind off James Anderson on 95. His patient 95 proved to be the vital cog in India’s one of the greatest test wins abroad. India lost all of the next three tests against England to lose the series 1–3. Vijay finished as the leading run scorer for India in that series with 402 runs from 5 matches.

When India toured Australia later in the same year, Vijay scored a patient and a steady 99 at the Adelaide Oval putting up a partnership of 185 with his skipper Virat Kohli to take India to an almost improbable victory, chasing 364 in the fourth innings. His dismissal triggered the batting collapse and India lost the test by a close margin. Vijay was at his fluent best in the second test at the Gaba, Brisbane. He scored 144 at a brisk pace to take India to a position of strength on the first day. This equaled the highest score by an Indian at the ground.

He scored his sixth Test hundred in the one-match Test series against Bangladesh in June 2015.

Murali Vijay complete information ODI career

Vijay debuted in ODIs against South Africa in the third and final one dyer on 27 Feb 2010. He scored a brisk 25 runs off 16 balls.

He started a full series during a tri-nations tournament in Zimbabwe when India rested most of the first-choice team. Vijay performed poorly and was dropped for India’s fourth match as they came last behind Zimbabwe.

Vijay was selected for New Zealand 5 ODI series 2010 and he played first 3 ODI in which he scored an average of 30. Later, he was replaced by wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel for other 2 ODI matches.

Murali Vijay complete information International T20 career

Vijay was selected for 2010 ICC World Twenty20. He fared poorly in India’s disastrous campaign averaging just below 15 and failing to provide good starts in all the matches.

Murali Vijay complete information IPL career

Vijay played for IPL franchise from his home town Chennai Super Kings till the sixth edition and represented Delhi Daredevils in IPL7. He was one of the key performers for Chennai in the 3rd edition of IPL in 2010 when Chennai were crowned champions. His first century for Chennai Super Kings was in the third season of the IPL where he scored 127 runs off 56 balls against the Rajasthan Royals. He was awarded the Man of the Match. In the same year, Vijay had prolific run in the Champions League T20 held in South Africa. Vijay was the top scorer of the tournament with 294 runs. He was instrumental in Chennai winning the cup.

In the fourth season of IPL, he was retained by the Chennai Super Kings. Later he was awarded the man of the match in finals and helped Chennai Super Kings to win the IPL trophy for the second time in a row. He scored 95 off 52 balls with 4 fours and 6 sixes with a blistering strike rate of 183.

In the beginning of IPL 2012, Vijay struggled to return to form. His first few matches was a disaster for Chennai, as he was out of form yet he was the opening batsmen for Chennai Super Kings. But he had his luck returned to him when he scored 113 off just 59 balls. With the century he became the only Indian cricketer to have scored two centuries in the history of DLF IPL.

With massive buys of Brendon McCullum and Dwayne Smith in the IPL 2014 the Chennai Super Kings will not miss Murali Vijay and Michael Hussey too much. In the IPL 2014 Auction held in February, he was sold to Delhi Daredevils for Rs 5 Crores.

In April 2016, Vijay was named captain of Kings XI Punjab replacing South African David Miller in middle of the season.

Season by season at IPL

IPL Batting Statistics of Murali Vijay

Year    Team   Inns     Runs    HS       Ave     SR       100      50        4s         6s

2009    Chennai Super Kings 4          60        31        15.00   89.55   0          0          4          2

2010    15        458      127      35.23   156.84 1          2          36        26

2011    16        434      95        27.12   128.02 0          3          34        20

2012    14        336      113      25.84   125.84 1          0          39        19

2013    15        312      55        22.38   109.09 0          2          27        8

2014    Delhi Daredevils         11        207      52        18.81   107.81 0          1          20        5

2015    Kings XI Punjab         11        251      39        22.81   110.08 0          0          27        8

2016    Kings XI Punjab         14        453      89        34.84   124.45 0          5          50        10

2017    Did Not Play   0          0          0          0          0          0          0          0          0

2009–2014 Total         100      2511    127      26.43   123.39 2          13        237      89

Personal life

Murali Vijay married with Nikita Banjara

Childhood & Early Life

Nikita Vijay was born as Nikita Banjara and is from the Indian city of Manor in the State of Maharashtra. Her father’s name is Deepak Banjara. She spent her childhood days in Kuwait. She later completed her higher education with a degree in commerce.

Rise to Stardom

Nikita Vijay, known by her birth name Nikita Banjara at the time, first made national news headlines briefly after her low-key marriage with the then promising wicketkeeper-batsman, Dinesh Karthik, in Mumbai on May 02, 2007. The event, which the Indian cricket team missed due to a conditioning camp, was not extensively covered by the media. However, she appeared on several articles mentioning the marriage and her relationship with Karthik. Pictures from the wedding event were also published in the media, and she subsequently was spotted supporting her then husband in his cricket tours. Nevertheless, she became the favorite of gossip tabloids after the news of her hush-hush divorce from Karthik and hurried marriage to Murali Vijay was published in 2012. She regularly appears on her and her husband’s Instagram feeds.

Marriage to Dinesh Karthik

Nikita Vijay’s father, Deepak, is said to be best friends with Krishna Kumar, the father of Indian cricketer Dinesh Karthik. As such, Nikita and Karthik had known each other since they were very young and later developed feelings for each other. The two families eventually decided to unite them in marriage when Karthik was just 21 years old. The marriage ceremony was hosted at a suburban hotel in Mumbai on May 02, 2007. It was a private affair attended by close relatives and friends. Karthik’s teammates from the Indian team failed to attend the event as they were busy at the conditioning camp which was being held at Kolkata at the time before the upcoming tour of Bangladesh. A few days after his marriage, Karthik also joined the camp on its final day. The two remained married for seven years, during this time she made several appearances by his side. However, the couple quietly got divorced in 2012. Even though they did not have any children, she reportedly was pregnant at the time of the divorce.

Marriage to Murali Vijay

Later in 2012, Nikita Vijay again tied the knot with Murali Vijay, Karthik’s teammate from the Tamil Nadu state team and another national cricket player. It is believed that they first met during the 2012 IPL tournament while both the players represented different teams and played against each other. The two raised a number of eyebrows with their quick marriage the same year she divorced from her first husband, who was also Vijay’s friend. The next year, she gave birth to her first child, a boy named Nirav. A couple years later, they welcomed a daughter named Iva. Recently in October 2017, she gave birth to her third child, a boy, who was introduced to the world by his older brother Nirav via an Instagram post by their father Vijay.

Controversies & Scandals

Nikita Vijay became a regular fix for tabloids in 2012 after the news of her divorce from Dinesh Karthik and her subsequent marriage to Murali Vijay were revealed in quick succession, followed by the birth of her son Nirav. While both Karthik and Vijay handled the situation in a much matured way, always keeping a low profile about their personal lives and never feeding the gossip mongers with the slightest of hint about what actually happened between them, news spread in Tamil media that Murali Vijay’s extra-marital affair with Nikita was the reason behind the divorce.

While according to some sources Vijay first saw her cheering for Karthik during one IPL 2012 match, it is not known how their relationship developed so quickly. Some feel they might have known each other since the time Murali Vijay and Dinesh Karthik played for the State team together. As Nikita was reportedly pregnant at the time of her divorce, the identity of the father of her first son has also been a hot topic for tabloids.

Murali Vijay Explore Mural Vijay’s performance Batting and fielding averages

Mat      Inns     NO      Runs    HS       Ave     BF       SR       100      50        4s         6s         Ct        St

Tests Insights on test  59        101      1          3933    167      39.33   8447    46.56   12        15        463      33        48            0

ODIs Insights on ode  17        16        0          339      72        21.18   506      66.99   0          1          33        3          9            0

T20Is Insights on t20i 9          9          0          169      48        18.77   154      109.74 0          0          13        8          3            0

First-class        129      216      7          9067    266      43.38   18317  49.50   25        38        1108    107      111      0

List A  86        85        2          3360    155      40.48   4206    79.88   7          18        323      73        39        0

T20s Insights on t20   154      152      5          3739    127      25.43   3076    121.55 2          20        347      133      62            0

Bowling averages

Mat      Inns     Balls    Runs    Wits    BBI     BBM   Ave     Econ    SR       4w       5w       10

Tests Insights on test  59        15        330      167      1          1/12     1/23     167.00 3.03     330.0   0          0          0

ODIs Insights on ode  17        2          36        37        1          1/19     1/19     37.00   6.16     36.0     0          0          0

T20Is Insights on t20i 9          1          12        9          0          –           –           –           4.50     –           0          0          0

First-class        129      42        1019    588      11        3/46     5/87     53.45   3.46     92.6     0          0          0

List A  86        14        287      264      9          3/13     3/13     29.33   5.51     31.8     0          0          0

T20s Insights on t20   154      7          60        70        0          –           –           –           7.00     –           0          0          0

Career statistics

Test debut       India v Australia at Nagpur, Nov 6-10, 2008 scorecard

Last Test         England v India at Lord’s, Aug 9-12, 2018 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut      India v South Africa at Ahmedabad, Feb 27, 2010 scorecard

Last ODI         Zimbabwe v India at Harare, Jul 14, 2015 scorecard

ODI statistics

T20I debut      Afghanistan v India at Gros Islet, May 1, 2010 scorecard

Last T20I        Zimbabwe v India at Harare, Jul 19, 2015 scorecard

T20I statistics   

First-class debut          Delhi v Tamil Nadu at Delhi, Nov 23-26, 2006 scorecard

Last First-class            New Zealand A v India A at Mount Maunganui, Nov 16-19, 2018 scorecard

List A debut    Karnataka v Tamil Nadu at Secunderabad, Feb 16, 2006 scorecard

Last List A      Haryana v Tamil Nadu at Chennai, Oct 9, 2018 scorecard

T20s debut      Goa v Tamil Nadu at Visakhapatnam, Apr 4, 2007 scorecard

Last T20s        Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings at Mohali, Apr 15, 2018 scorecard

Recent matches

Bat & Bowl     Team   Opposition      Ground            Match Date     Scorecard

28, 60  India A            v NZ a Mount Maunganui      16 Nov 2018   FC

19        Tamil Nadu     v M. Pradesh   Din Digul          1 Nov 2018     FC

24        Tamil Nadu     v Haryana        Chennai           9 Oct 2018      LA

44        Tamil Nadu     v J + K            Chennai           7 Oct 2018      LA

3          Tamil Nadu     v Tripura          Chennai           3 Oct 2018      LA

80, 2    Essex   v Surrey           The Oval         24 Sep 2018    FC

85        Essex   v Works           Chelmsford     18 Sep 2018    FC

56, 100            Essex   v Notts            Nottingham     10 Sep 2018    FC

0, 0      India    v England        Lord’s  9 Aug 2018     Test # 2315 Insights on

20, 6    India    v England        Birmingham    1 Aug 2018     Test # 2314 Insights on

Overview on his life

M Vijay brings, along with his bat, pads and gloves, an invisible switch to the crease. When that switch is flicked on, given certain conditions, he can be one of the more pleasing sights in present-day cricket; when it is not, he can scratch and struggle on the flattest of pitches. He prefers to play off the front foot, which can bring his downfall, but it also produces some sensational hits down the ground, including the trademark pick-up shot over wide long-on.