Vinayak Shukla had high praises for MS Dhoni and regarded the former Indian skipper to be his guru. The Oman wicketkeeper batter was in awe of Dhoni's captaincy and the way he finishes the innings. Shukla claimed to have never met the veteran in person but wished to interact with him.

"As a wicketkeeper-batsman [batter], my inspiration has always been Mahendra Singh Dhoni - the way he finishes games and leads the team is unmatched. He is my guru. I have never met him but I want to meet him. It was a very difficult decision," Shukla said in an interview with Times of India.

"I left Indian cricket in November 2021 and moved to Oman to pursue my dreams. I work as a Data Operator at National Metal Cans. Back in Kanpur, I started playing at local clubs like the PAC Cricket Ground, and then moved around different cities," Shukla added in his statement.

"I just wasn’t getting the opportunity to represent the state," - Vinayak Shukla on his kove from India to Oman
Vinayak claimed he did not get as many chances while in India and said it was the reason behind his move to Oman. He said that one of his coaches, Prakash Palande, suggested him to play in Oman, where he would have better chances of playing international cricket due to less competition.

"But the problem was, I just wasn't getting the opportunity to represent the state. I spoke to some seniors, and then went to one of my coaches, Prakash Palande sir. He gave me an opportunity to go to Muscat. He told me I'd have to stay there for around two years, and if I performed well, I could get a chance to represent the country after about three years," Shukla revealed.