Murali Vijay never missed an opportunity to emphasise what his name was. Whenever someone referred to him as Murali, he would snap back with a stern, "Vijay, sir". But out in the middle, especially in white flannels, he didn't have to underscore his credentials as an opening batter. He let his bat do the talking.
Having last played for India in Perth in December 2018, Vijay announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday on his social media account. During his decade-long career, Vijay appeared in 61 Tests, making 3,982 runs at an average of 38.29, and stacking up 12 hundreds and 15 half-centuries. While the 38-year-old had an underwhelming career in white-ball cricket for India, he had an impressive stint with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. He later went on to lead Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings).
"Today, with immense gratitude and humility, I announce my retirement from all forms of international cricket," Vijay said in a statement on Twitter.
"I am excited to announce that I will be exploring new opportunities in the world of cricket and the business side of it, where I will also continue to participate in the sport that I love and challenge myself in new and different environments," the 38-year-old Vijay added.
"I believe this is the next step in my journey as a cricketer and I look forward to the new chapter in my life."
Quiet of demeanour, Vijay is a rebel of sorts. Be it leaving home at a young age due to differences with his father and living a not-so-comfortable life for several years or his wedding to Dinesh Karthik's ex-wife, Vijay let his heart rather his mind dictate his decisions.
He didn't have a hugely successful Test debut against Australia in Nagpur in 2008, when cameos of 33 and 41 spoke to his fortitude and technique. Vijay came into the side at the peak of one of India's most successful opening pairs - Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag – and had to bide his time before he could seal his place in the XI. Gambhir was uncharacteristically ungainly for a left-hander but doughty nevertheless, while Sehwag had never heard the word ‘caution’ and was a sight for sore eyes when on song. Vijay was a fine blend of these two contrasting characters.
He had the staying power of Gambhir and the flair of Sehwag, which together saw him carve some exquisite innings both at home and away. Not unlike Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, the right-hander from Chennai reserved his best for Australia - four of his 12 Test hundreds came against them, two at home and two Down Under. He missed out on a fifth by one run on the tour of Australia in 2014-15.
That sublime 99, along with Virat Kohli's masterful 141, almost took India to an improbable victory in Adelaide. His next innings, 144 in the second Test at the Gabba, was even more telling, though a second-innings collapse saw India lose the match.
It's mere coincidence that his maiden and last Test centuries both came at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru against Australia and Afghanistan respectively, almost 10 years apart; between times, he produced several gems that are etched in memory.
A masterly 146 at a seaming and swinging Nottingham (2014), his 97 on a bouncy Durban pitch (2013), 80 in Sydney (2015) that helped India escape with a draw, a doughty 25 on the minefield of a pitch in Johannesburg (2018) and 139 in Bengaluru against the Aussies early in his career (2010) are out of the top drawer for their quality and impact, the circumstances they came in and the significance attached to them.