Shardul Thakur of India arrive during the India press conference held at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium , Lucknow, India on the 5th October 2022. (Sportzpics)He’s the most holy debated selection on the Indian team, but Shardul Thakur got the nod ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy for the first Test at Headingley. It might be the runs he scored in the intra-squad matches, or his prior experience in England, but Coach Gautam Gambhir chose the Mumbai seaming all-rounder ahead of a top spinner and a fellow utility batter all rounder in Reddy.
For the man himself, playing in England remains special.
Speaking to BCCI TV before the Test, Thakur had said that the team was keen to show England that India were there to “put up a show.” A grand show.
“Now England team is also playing different type of cricket. So we would like to surprise them also and prove we are here to put up a show,” Thakur told the board channel.
He labelled playing in England his fondest memory. “I think 2021 series where we won couple of games (was memorable). The first one also we could have won but unfortunately it rained on last day and we couldn’t chase down the total.
But then we won at Lord’s and at the Oval,” he recalled. “Then we came back for the fifth Test next year and series was level. But that was one of the fondest memories for me. It’s one of the best series I’ve been part of,” he said.
Former bowling coach Bharat Arun had seen merit in picking him before the toss up with Reddy, and mostly based on his bowling. “I think if I’m not mistaken he’s got about two or three fifties on the trot and he came up with very important breakthroughs whenever given the ball. He can move the ball and bowled in early 130s,” Arun told IANS via Sony. He had reckoned the decision would be made based on how they were bowling at that particular moment.
While social media considered him washed up after having had his moment in Australia, Arun had told IANS, “Shardul has done very well for us in England on the last tour. He was very handy with the bat.”
Speaking to BCCI TV, he said, “It’s very exciting to play in this part of the world where you face different challenges. First one is of course weather. Sometimes cloudy, sometimes bright sunny. As a player you need to make adjustments to your game, whether batting or bowling.”
Speaking on the rest of the team, he had said, “It’s good to have that fresh energy in team. Few youngsters coming up. New talent is always exciting.”
For someone who’s got results in England and Australia, including that 50 at Oval, Thakur, now 33, brings some experience to a young line-up, though his selection chopped it’s fair share of brickbats. “It’s always great to win an away series, away from home. If we can achieve this feat, it would be massive for the entire nation,” he told BCCI TV.
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