The euphoria of beating arch rivals Pakistan may be beginning to settle down as Team India takes a two-day break before regrouping for their next World Cup match against minnows Afghanistan.
For one player though the joy and adrenaline would surely take some time to settle down -- all-rounder Vijay Shankar.
He was informed the night before the match by coach Ravi Shastri that he would be making his World Cup debut against Pakistan.
What no one could have told him was that he would be taking his first WC wicket in the very first ball he would bowl.
Asked to finish the over of the injured Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Shankar struck on his very first ball, trapping opener Imam up Haq leg, giving India the vital breakthrough in the first power play. “Coming on to bowl so early was a surprise for me. Every bowler would love to get wickets in the World Cup and first of all we need big wickets as a team. I have been batting well, and bowling is something which I know will be very handy for me. It is important to improve all aspects of my game so that I will be ready for all situations” he said.
He came in as a replacement for injured opener Shikhar Dhawan.
Originally picked in the squad as a batsman who would bat at number four, he has been handed the role of a floater instead along with another all rounder Kedar Jadhav.
At Old Trafford, in his first match of the WC, he came in at number six to finish a rain interrupted Indian innings.
The team management and selectors opted for Shankar, who has appeared in just 3ODIs, in the WC squad.
The line of thought was his medium pace was ideally suited for slightly over cast conditions.
Manchester was cloudy but bowlers were getting little movement in the air. Shankar, who also is Tamil Nadu's captain, kept a tight line and length and took two wickets in the match, the second one of Pakistan skipper Sarfaraz Ahmed.
“I have to be flexible in my role, batting and bowling. I feel it is very important to be able to adapt quickly to the situation.”
Clearly the team management – skipper Virat Kohli, vice captain Rohit Sharma and coach Ravi Shastri -- have a lot of faith in his abilities.
Shankar a disciple of India A coach Rahul Dravid said: “I was batting at six and seven in my first innings for India, I batted there against Australia and performed that same role so it was nothing new for me.
“I just think it was a great opportunity to make my World Cup debut against Pakistan when there would be so many people watching the game. I try to enjoy each and every moment.”
