Shardul Thakur Speaks on Team’s Mindset Ahead of Third ODI
Feb 10, 2020 at 5:58 PM
India has lost two back-to-back ODIs against New Zealand at their home. With the defeat, Virat Kohli’s men have also lost the ODI series but there is still one game to be played. The third and final game will be played at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Tuesday (11th February). Indian pacer Shardul Thakur accepted that after the defeat, India will play the last match with freedom.
In the two ODIs played, India failed to leave a major impact. At Hamilton, Virat Kohli and Co. were prolific with the bat as they set a mammoth target of 348 runs. But they failed to defend the target. While in the second game, the visitors could not chase down the target of 274 runs set by New Zealand.
With the chances to clean sweep, Team India will be looking to play the third game fearlessly. Indian pacer also goes with the same mindset. Thakur opines that losing two games, will not halt the Men in Blue playing their brand of cricket.
“Every match is important. Just because we are 0-2 down, this does not mean that the final match is important. Every international match holds a key. We are 0-2 down. We can express ourselves and we will play with freedom,” Thakur told reporters on the eve of the third ODI.
‘Ross Taylor plays like God on the leg side: Shardul Thakur
Besides, Thakur went on to heap praises on the New Zealand veteran Ross Taylor who scored a century in the first game. The pacer believes that he plays like a ‘God on the leg side’. While he accepted that India has missed two chances to dismiss Taylor in the first two games.
“Ross is batting really well. He can play like God on the leg side once he is in. In the last two ODIs, there were chances of us dismissing him, but we did not grab our chances. It is important to send him back early in the innings,” said Thakur as quoted by IndiaToday.
Meanwhile, Thakur has impressed with his bowling in the second ODI. He was more economical than Jasprit Bumrah in Auckland. Thakur also picked two wickets apart from scoring 18 off 15 balls in Auckland.