In November 2008, M Vijay, in association with Abhinav Mukund, added 462 for the first wicket in a Ranji game for Tamil Nadu. They might have fallen two short of the record, but Vijay was told he would have to leave the game midway and join the Indian team the next day for a Test against Australia. He got that chance because Gautam Gambhir, the regular opener, had been banned for one match. Vijay didn't look out of place at all, scoring 33 and 41, and running out Matthew Hayden.

A tall, solid opening batsman, Vijay was an instant success in his debut Ranji season with Tamil Nadu, finishing as the third-highest run-getter with 628 runs in seven games at a 50-plus average in 2006-07. It was followed by another good season - 582 runs at 58.2. He was picked for the India A squad to face New Zealand A in two Tests at the start of the 2008-09 season, and scored 200 runs in four innings. Included in the India Red team for the Challenger Trophy, he finished as the tournament's second-highest run-getter, which finally led to his Test selection. This was rapid progress for someone who had picked proper cricket relatively late, at 17.

It would be another year before Vijay would get another chance in a Test and once again he impressed, making 87 against Sri Lanka in Mumbai but with Virender Sehwag and Gambhir the first-choice opening pair, his opportunities were limited. Vijay made his first Test century against Australia in 2010, but a poor series in the West Indies in 2011 saw him lose his place in the India squad to Tamil Nadu team-mate Abhinav Mukund.

Kanishkaa Balachandran and ESPNcricinfo Staff