The tour of South Africa in 2013 was a significant juncture in the history of Indian cricket. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, deciding to give the young batsmen a substantial run at home before traveling overseas, had announced their retirements in 2012. Sachin Tendulkar had bid farewell in the last Test of the 2013 home season, against West Indies.
The South Africa series was the first time Indiaās Test squad didnāt have any of the fab-four. It was the beginning of a massive transitional phase. The baton had truly and officially been passed.
Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara notched up centuries in the first Test, in Johannesburg, to further solidify their stand as worthy successors to the retiring legends.
During that same Test, sans the limelight, another story was brewing. In Indiaās second innings, one of their opening batsmen made a 94-ball 39. On the scorecard, it seemed like an inconspicuous stint of batting. But in reality it would turn out to be the innings that would give Team India its most consistent and solid Test batsman for the coming two years.
That fighting 155-minute vigil at the Wanderers was the beginning of Murali Vijayās golden run in Test cricket. His 97 in the second Test on a difficult Durban wicket against Steyn and co. was a glimpse into what was to follow.
In the next year and a half, Vijay scored 1267 runs in 14 Tests at 46.92 with three centuries. Even more remarkable is the fact that most of those runs came in trying overseas conditions of England (402 at 40.2) and Australia (482 at 60.2).
Now that the Proteas are coming home, Vijay can look back at that series and give himself a quiet pat on the back for how far he has come.
āIt was the 39 runs in the Johannesburg Test that turned things around for me,ā Vijay reminisced in a chat with BCCI.TV. āI could feel that I was batting well. Thatās what gave me confidence going into the Durban Test.
āI was under the pump and really wanted to come good. The ball was reversing in Durban and it helped that I play a lot of reverse swing back home at the domestic level,ā he said, recalling his 97-run knock. āIt has been a great journey for me ā the last one and a half year. But the best of me is yet to come.ā
While his batting form has remained intact, the opening batsman has had a tryst with injury recently. After suffering a hamstring injury during the ODI and T20I series in Zimbabwe, Vijay missed the first Test in Sri Lanka. He played in the second after India had lost Shikhar Dhawan to a fractured hand, and made a dogged 82 in the second innings, en route a 140-run partnership with Ajinkya Rahane.
Again, that knock is worth much more than the numbers suggest. The hamstring tweaked again, very early in the innings and Vijay batted with discomfort throughout.
āI had a chat with the physio before the second Test and we decided I could play since I had done my rehabilitation well during the break (after the Zimbabwe tour). And I never had any doubts about my batting,ā Vijay explained. āIn the second or third over of the innings, I tweaked the hamstring again and when I pushed for a single, I realised something was wrong inside.ā
What Vijay did next was evidence of not only his batting skills and mental toughness but also of the āteam comes firstā attitude harboured by all members of Virat Kohliās team. When the discomfort increased in measure, he adopted the aggressive approach. The classical opener channeled his inner T20 marauder to bring out the pull, the midwicket heave and the paddle sweep ā two sixes and a four. With another attempted sweep, he eventually got out.
āI was struggling to run quick singles and twos. Thatās when I decided that I should be a little more positive. I didnāt want to put Ajinkya ā who was batting beautifully at the other end ā under pressure and disturb his tempo,ā Vijay said, explaining his ploy.
āI told Ajinkya, āYou stay at one end and anchor the innings like you have so far; I will take the risksā. I thought, even if I get out, Virat would be in next. He and Ajinkya are much fitter and can run hard between the wickets. I didnāt want to disturb Ajinkyaās rhythm because at that time his wicket was more crucial to the team than mine.ā
This kind of attitude and spirit will be key against the Proteas. And Vijay is doing all he can to regain full fitness in time for the preparatory camp starting on September 21 in Bangalore. While he is extremely excited to take on the South Africans again, Vijayās sole focus right now is attaining best physical shape.
āI am getting better. I should be fully fit,ā he said with the same determination in his eyes that reflects when he is batting.
