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The 35-year-old India all-rounder announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the IPL to pursue “new opportunities” after a career spanning more than a decade across formats.
Vijay Shankar on Friday announced his retirement from domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL), bringing an end to a professional career that spanned more than 13 years across international cricket, domestic tournaments and franchise leagues.
The 35-year-old all-rounder, who represented India in both ODIs and T20Is between 2018 and 2019, said he has decided to step away from domestic and IPL cricket to pursue “new opportunities” and continue playing the game in a different capacity.
In a statement shared on social media, Vijay Shankar reflected on his long journey in cricket and expressed gratitude towards the people and institutions that shaped his career.
“Cricket is my life. I started playing when I was 10 and 25 years later, I am grateful and blessed to have played at every level and to the highest level,” he wrote.
“Representing our country will always be one of my proudest and happiest moments.”
Vijay Shankar Reflects On India Career
Vijay Shankar also thanked the Board of Control for Cricket in India and his teammates for the memories and experiences he gained while representing the national side.
“Thankful to BCCI and the Indian Cricket Team — many learnings, countless memories and various inspirations,” he said.
“Representing the country will be my highest badge of honour.”
The Tamil Nadu cricketer recalled two moments that remain closest to him from his international career — bowling the final over in India’s 500th ODI in Nagpur and taking a wicket with his very first ball during the 2019 ODI World Cup.
“Bowling the last over at India’s 500th ODI at Nagpur and my first ball, first wicket at the 2019 World Cup are moments I will hold onto forever,” he added.
Vijay Shankar’s International Career
2019 Cricket World Cup proved to be a defining chapter in Vijay Shankar’s international journey.
He was part of India’s World Cup squad in England and featured in several matches before suffering a toe injury against the West Indies in Manchester. The injury ruled him out of the remainder of the tournament, and he eventually lost his place in the national setup.
Overall, Vijay Shankar played:
- 12 One-Day Internationals for India
- 9 T20 Internationals
- 77 First-Class matches
- 112 List A games
- 159 T20 matches
In First-Class cricket, he scored 4,253 runs at an impressive average of 46.73, including:
- 13 centuries
- 23 half-centuries
- 43 wickets
In List A cricket, he amassed 2,790 runs at an average of 34.87 while also taking 73 wickets.
He also scored 2,583 runs and claimed 38 wickets in T20 cricket.
IPL Journey Across Four Franchises
Over the years, Vijay Shankar represented four IPL franchises:
- Chennai Super Kings (2014, 2025)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad (2017, 2019-2021)
- Delhi Capitals (2018)
- Gujarat Titans (2022-2024)
He was not picked by any franchise for the ongoing IPL 2026 season.
Vijay Shankar was often valued for his versatility as a middle-order batter who could also contribute with medium pace. His calm approach and ability to adapt to different roles made him a dependable player in domestic cricket and franchise tournaments.
Shift To Tripura Before Retirement
Before the 2025-26 domestic season, Vijay Shankar moved from Tamil Nadu cricket team to Tripura cricket team in search of a fresh challenge.
His retirement now marks the end of a significant chapter in Indian domestic cricket, especially for Tamil Nadu cricket, where he emerged as one of the state’s most consistent all-round performers over the last decade.
While stepping away from domestic and IPL cricket, Vijay Shankar hinted that he still intends to remain connected with the sport and explore new opportunities in the game.