Murali Vijay to play for Somerset in County Championship
County cricket giants Somerset have roped in Indian opener Murali Vijay for their ongoing season of the Championship. Vijay is all set to play three matches of the tournament, while it would be his second stint in County, after he played for Essex last year. He comes in as a replacement for Azhar Ali of Pakistan, who is on national duty.
"I am excited about the challenge of trying to help Somerset push for the County Championship. Somerset have an excellent reputation and I am looking forward to being a part of what they are trying to achieve," said Vijay, following his signing by Somerset.
Meanwhile, following Vijay's signing, Somerset Director Andy Hurry expressed his delight to acquire the services of the opener. He also praised Vijay's class and ability, besides terming him a high-quality player. "He has experience of English conditions, having played in the Championship for Essex last year, and that was extremely important to us when it came to selecting a replacement for Azhar," said Hurry.
Considering Vijay's performance in First-Class cricket, he has been a solid customer, scoring 9,116 runs in 131 matches at an average of 42.79. He has also played 61 Tests, scoring 3,982 runs at an average of 38.28. In the County, playing for Essex last year, he had scored 320 runs in three matches at an average of 64.60.
Vijay has been one of the consistent performers for India in Test cricket. However, his poor form since 2018 led to him being dropped from the squad, while his last Test was in 2018. The author believes given his talent, Vijay is likely to put in a commendable shift for Somerset. A couple of good knocks could put him in radar of the selectors.
"To have signed a player of his class and ability at this stage of the season is a real coup"
— Somerset Cricket 🏏 (@SomersetCCC) August 25, 2019
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