“Through the harm lay-off, as an alternative of sulking, he utterly modified his mindset and having identified him since childhood, I’ve by no means seen him this calm and relaxed,” says Vijay’s good friend NS Chaturved, who additionally made it to the Tamil Nadu squad final season.

In a group that has Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, David Miller and Rahul Tewatia, Vijay is the one main the strike-rate chart with 160.10. It has been that type of season for Vijay, the place he has shocked many together with his aggressive batting – 15 sixes, the second-most for a Gujarat batsman behind Gill. In a approach Gujarat Titans are reaping the rewards for selecting a participant throughout an important section, when he was out injured. As an alternative of releasing again into the public sale, Gujarat retained him and this season, regardless of Vijay being totally match and even expressing his intention to bowl, have unlocked probably the most out of his batting potential.

Technical work with Gary Kirsten

Other than the arrogance in his personal batting, what additionally stands out this season has been the delicate tweaks Vijay has made to his bat swing and the opening up of the bat face. “I’ve been hitting the ball fairly nicely and labored on just a few issues even earlier than the season,” Vijay has mentioned. “Not nearly enjoying ones and twos but in addition at occasions it’s essential get these boundaries when the group actually wants it. So, it was nearly my preparation. I ready rather well earlier than the season and the small change that I made with Gary (Kirsten) helped me to open up a variety of pictures that I had, however couldn’t do (play) it. Now, I’m completely satisfied that I’m in a position to play these pictures,” he mentioned.

The small change that Vijay talks about is extra to do with the set off motion with the bat, which now occurs virtually behind his proper thigh and permits him to have one free swing. Previously, the set off motion, that had the bat come down decrease virtually to his left hip, had hampered the bat swing a bit. He usually discovered himself locked ready that didn’t enable him to play just a few pictures. He couldn’t free his arms, so to talk.

Now, with the bat swing being much more free-flowing and having additionally opened up his stance, Vijay is yielding the leads to the center. Greater than the runs he has made, what has stood out probably the most about these large pictures has been the best way he’s slicing the pictures. For a participant who has seemed to deliver down the bat straight always beforehand, this IPL Vijay is slicing them with a barely open-bat-face when going for large hits. It’s the identical recommendation that Sachin Tendulkar had given Cameron Inexperienced on this IPL.

Julian Wooden, the famend power-hitting coach, who believes bat swing is a non-negotiable component in the case of T20 batting, defined what it does. “In T20 cricket, high T20 gamers nonetheless hit it straight, however they don’t play straight. They play in a slight angle which opens up much more areas and offers extra vary. The bat swing begins from the second slip,” he mentioned. And that is what is going on with Vijay this IPL, the place the bat swing begins from the second slip and there by widening his vary and enabling him to inflict extra injury on the opposition.

Farming, weight-reduction plan, and saying no to filter espresso

Past the technical points, Vijay has additionally labored on bettering his health ranges. Through the seven-month harm lay-off, other than spending a substantial time frame on the Nationwide Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, Vijay would additionally deliver loads of modifications on private aspect too, together with his favorite filter espresso, going utterly out of his menu.

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Titans participant Vijay Shankar throughout a observe session forward of the IPL match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, on the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Thursday, Could 25, 2023. (PTI Photograph/Kunal Patil)(PTI05_25_2023_000225B)

“After lacking seven months of motion, he was in no hurry to get again. As an alternative, he wished to be one hundred pc match and put a variety of laborious work into it. For a interval of six months, he would usually really feel bored of doing the identical mundane issues. However, not for a day he took a break, and as an alternative began to coach twice a day. He began to grasp that if you wish to excel on the high stage, it’s essential maintain doing the boring issues increasingly more,” Chaturved mentioned.

The boring issues that Chaturved refers to are a strict weight loss program and spending not less than a few hours within the health club other than the same old health drills and expertise coaching. On match days Vijay has additionally made it necessary to run three rounds after the tip of the sport, which once more has helped him enhance his endurance. “For a participant who had suffered a variety of accidents, he began to really feel extra assured about his physique now. He found what his strengths are and what isn’t working,” mentioned Chaturved.

Vijay’s family and friends too chipped in throughout this section to assist him come out of the shell. As an alternative of staying in a lodge through the rehab programme on the NCA, he selected to hire a service condominium for a extra relaxed ambiance. For a participant who prefers occurring lengthy drives to unwind, this time the farm home within the outskirts of Chennai grew to become the go-to-place to coach and unwind.

“We even did a little bit of farming to maintain in good spirits and after some time his father even laid a concrete pitch in order that he can prepare there with out worrying about something,” Chaturvedi says. “He has been on the receiving finish of all of the trolls earlier than, and it feels good when the world is seeing the perfect of him now.”