Nine years ago, he shot to prominence at the Under-19 World Cup but despite his amazing batting skills, extraordinary fielding and fitness levels, Shikhar's erratic career record did not help his position in the team.
His time in the India squad had been all of five ODIs and a T20 International in 2011.
His record of smacking that amazing 187 against Australia at Mohali, the fastest century in Test cricket by a debutant, came in his ninth year of first-class cricket, after he had been written off by almost everybody.
