I Can Be Called Bowling All Rounder: Shardul Thakur

Jan 22, 2021 at 5:52 PM

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I Can Be Called Bowling All Rounder: Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur picked seven wickets and was India’s top scorer in the first innings, striking 67 while batting at No.8. He, along with Washington Sundar, pulled the team out of trouble by forging a crucial 123-run stand.

It was a debut over two years after his actual debut against West Indies where he limped off the field after bowling only 10 balls. Shardul Thakur says he took a quantum leap from being just a fast bowler to a bowling all-rounder with his impactful show in India’s epoch-making Brisbane Test triumph over Australia.

Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

Shardul Thakur Have Ability To Bat And Can Be Called Bowling All-Rounder

The 7th wicket partnership eventually played a key role in the team’s three-wicket win.

“Yes, I can be called a bowling all-rounder, I have that ability to bat and even in future, whenever I get my opportunity to bat, I am going to contribute useful runs to the team’s total,” Thakur, who has seven first-class fifties to his credit, told PTI in an interview from his home-town in Palghar district.

He could have made it even more momentous at Brisbane with a five-wicket haul but has no regrets on missing out on that as he can’t feel happy enough for fellow pacer Mohammed Siraj, who actually got one.

“No, I don’t regret on missing a fifer in the second innings. I mean, it would have been okay if I had taken a fifer but I am really happy for Siraj and I really wished that he should get five wickets, because he was going through a lot of hard time,” he said.

Mohammed Siraj.
Mohammed Siraj. Image Credit: Getty Images.

Mohammed Siraj had lost his father back in India while he was with the team but chose to stay in Australia and complete his national duties despite being given the option of heading back.

“He (Siraj) lost his father recently and he mentioned that how his father wanted to him to play cricket. So, when I took that catch, I was really, really (happy). I was like, thank god Siraj got five wickets,” added Thakur, who took the final catch which handed Siraj his maiden five-wicket haul in Tests.

The 29-year-old was extremely pleased with his own performance and said it was special because it came amid tough circumstances and against strong opposition.

“…it is not easy to play against Australia in Brisbane, everyone knows their record in Brisbane, they hadn’t lost a Test match (since) 1988 until this one when we beat them,” he said.

“So, to have performed in this game taking seven wickets and also scoring a fifty and being able to majorly contribute in the team’s victory, it really makes me happy,” added the right-arm speedster, who returned with match-figures of 7/155.

Shardul Thakur had made his Test debut against West Indies in October 2018. However, his dream soon turned into a nightmare as a groin injury forced him to hobble off the field after bowling just 10 deliveries. His bowling in both the innings of 4th Test was lively as he kept grabbing key scalps. He had figures of 3/94 and 4/61.

When Shardul Thakur walked into bat in the first innings, India was reeling at 186/6 and he revealed that the plan was to take the game deep by batting there for more hours.

“I think when I went to bat (in the first innings), my role was pretty clear. We had our chips down, we were 186/6 and the simple plan at that point of time, you know the situation in front of us was, me and Washington (Sundar) batting as much time as possible. It was really important for us to take the game, that innings as deep as possible,” he recalled.

Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur
Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur. Photo Credit: Getty Images.

“We weren’t looking at the scoreboard at all. Yes, we discussed about the bowlers a lot like what kind of deliveries is Pat Cummins going to bowl or Josh Hazlewood or Mitchell Starc for that matter. And I think that communication was the key, which helped us build that partnership, because on the other hand, we were batting very well,” added Thakur, who received a hero’s welcome at his village on Thursday.

The visitors, eventually, went on to win the Test by three wickets, following a stunning run chase chasing a stiff target of 328 on Day 5. India won at Gabba for the first time and Australia were defeated at the venue for the first time in 32 years since 1988.

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