Days after Gautam Gambhir said Team India have moved on from Shardul Thakur, all-rounder says he’s yet to hear from selectors

“I haven’t had any communication yet,” he told reporters when asked about his snub from the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

This was Shardul’s best performance this season since he recovered from foot surgery, for which he underwent surgery in London this June. He sustained the injury sometime during the Ranji Trophy last season but played through the pain and played a vital role in his team’s title march. But the injury resurfaced during India’s tour of South Africa earlier this year.

“I have just returned from surgery, so it’s obvious that’s the reason I am not in the team at the moment,” he said.

“However, my fitness is in great shape now, and since the Australia tour is a long one, opportunities can come anytime. Following that, the England team is also coming to India for white-ball matches, then there’s the Champions Trophy, so there’s a lot of cricket ahead. So, there will surely be chances somewhere down the line.

“My only focus at the moment is to further improve my fitness, work harder on my bowling, and always give 100% when I step onto the ground,” he added.

In his stop-start career, injuries have often pegged him back. However, his glorious moment came in the famous Gabba Test where he made 67 in the first innings and took 7 wickets. His 57 off 36 balls in England in 2021 at the Oval was the fastest half-century in England. He went on to score another fifty in the second innings and picked up two crucial wickets, including Joe Root, helping India win the match by 157 runs. Shardul’s best bowling figures (7/61) in a Test came at the Wanderers in 2022 against South Africa.

The Mumbai all-rounder reveals how he has battled to get back into rhythm this season after returning from the injury.

“In the initial one or two matches, I had a bit of hesitation while starting, but as I kept playing matches post-surgery, my confidence gradually developed. Now, I have achieved 100 per cent fitness, and it’s reflected in my bowling as well. In the past three or four matches, I have been bowling in full rhythm. Although quite a few catches were dropped, so the wickets aren’t reflecting on the board. If those catches were taken, I would have had around 20 wickets in five matches. But that’s part and parcel of the game,” he said.

On switching formats, Shardul said: “Switching between formats is a challenge, but this is where experience comes in handy, which we have gained over the years by playing white-ball cricket. We’ll try to use that experience and apply it whenever we play, be it Syed Mushtaq Ali or Vijay Hazare tournaments. Additionally, this format shift can act as a bit of rest for bowlers who have played in red-ball cricket, as they will have shorter spells in T20s, keeping their bodies fresh.”