Shardul Thakur who has been part of the national team for more than a year is all set to make his debut tomorrow in the 4th ODI between India and Sri Lanka. Addressing the press conference ahead of the 4th ODI, Shardul said that he has been working hard in the last few years or so and in the limited opportunities he gets he will look to cash in on it and prove his mettle. Given India’s dominance in the tour so far, Thakur will be hopeful of a sensational start to his ODI career.
Captain Virat Kohli and Chairman of Selectors MSK Prasad has promised of rotating the players and if Bhuvneshwar or Jaspirt Bumrah is rested, Shardul might well make his debut tomorrow.
“Over the past few years, I have been working hard. Whenever I get a chance to play I should be ready. Keeping that in mind I always prepare for the game. Whether they play me or not that’s the management’s role. But if you ask me personally I just have to be ready for the game whenever I get the opportunity and I prepare accordingly,” Thakur said.
Thakur has been part of the Indian set up since 2016 when India toured West Indies but a break in the playing XI has still eluded him. He is currently working closely with Indian bowling coach Bharat Arun in his bid to break into the team.
“When I first met him it was the Under-19 camp at the NCA. It was more of a technical camp where players perform when you go to the academy, work on your technique and get better. It’s only my first assignment with him in the (Indian) team and so far it’s been good. It’s more of match-oriented things (that I discuss with him),” said Thakur.
“I feel whenever you move one level up – from domestic you go on to play IPL and from IPL you get selected to international cricket – the skill is always there. But you have got to prepare really well mentally because in international cricket the pressure is different and the pressure is different in domestic cricket,” he added.
Thakur was part of the Indian squad for many Test series but was released in between to take part in the domestic matches. “It’s not that difficult (to change formats) if you have practised enough. It’s just recollecting whatever you have practised. In white-ball cricket, you’ll need to use a lot of variations when needed whereas in red-ball cricket you just stick to your plans again and again.
“I feel, if you have the skills, you can play in any format of the game. It’s just about your preparations and how you cope up with the different challenges of Test cricket, ODI cricket, and T20Is. If you ask me, you have to evolve every time there is a change in the format,” he said.
Former Indian captain MS Dhoni who is set to play his 300th ODI tomorrow was with the Rising Pune Supergiant camp for whom Shardul played the 2017 edition.
“I have always asked about his experiences. He always gave me his piece of mind when I asked him. Obviously, he’s the wicketkeeper of the team so he has seen a lot of bowlers bowling from the other end, and very closely, like what do they do in a particular situation.
“Playing with him in the IPL was a great boost because, in the match itself, I learnt a lot from him like when to use cross-seam deliveries and when to bowl seam-ups. So whenever I have felt like finding out things about a particular situation, I have gone to him,” Thakur concluded.