I was playing with a fractured wrist - M Vijay

Opening batsman M Vijay played through a part of India's long home season with a "fractured wrist," which limited his range of shots and the power with which he could play them. As a result of the injury, Vijay was ruled out of the ongoing IPL and travelled to the UK for surgery; he returned to Chennai on April 16.

"I don't want to get too much into the status of the injury but I was playing with a fractured wrist," Vijay told the New Indian Express. "It was a difficult situation to be in, but the team always comes first ... I was not able to bat freely because, as the injury aggravated, I couldn't play certain shots and when I went out to bat, I had to grind it out. Especially against pacers, it was difficult at times to even defend off the front foot because it was my bottom hand that was injured."

Vijay missed only one Test - the second against Australia - out of 13 in India's 2016-17 home season, which began with the series against New Zealand in September last year. He was India's third highest run-scorer behind Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli, making 771 runs at an average of 36.71.

After beginning the season with two half-centuries in the Kanpur Test against New Zealand, then making two hundreds against England and a century in the one-off Test against Bangladesh, Vijay's form tapered during the final series - against Australia. He scored a half-century in Ranchi but did not pass 11 in four other innings.

Vijay said his injury affected his strength while batting. "I was told not to use any power while batting, so that was something I had to keep in mind while facing spinners," he said. "As a batsman, when you can't play certain shots, it affects your momentum and it was frustrating, but I saw it as a challenge because nothing comes easy and I learned a lot."

"My body language might not tell you a real story all the time. I was in pain and it is not in my personality to show what I'm going through and gain sympathy. At the end of the day, I'm the one going through that and need to handle it on my own."

Vijay said he was a while away from playing cricket again, but India do not have any Tests in the near future. "I have already started my rehabilitation and hopefully, in a month or two, I should be able to pick up the bat again."