Image Source : GETTY IMAGES Shardul Thakur
In 62 matches throughout eight seasons of first-class cricket, tempo bowler Shardul Thakur had scored simply six half-centuries. His seventh, on the Gabba for India in opposition to Australia in simply his second Test, has turn into most well-known and essential.
The right-arm tempo bowler, who picked three wickets within the first innings, hammered 67 off 115 deliveries in a knock that helped India scale back the primary innings deficit to only 33.
“Having played so much first-class cricket and also for India A definitely helped. The confidence level is high and there is also the desire to move up when you take a leap to Test cricket from first-class level,” mentioned Dinesh Lad, who mentored Thakur at his college in Mumbai.
Thakur is from Palghar which is three hours away from Mumbai and, because of the distance, the tempo bowler initially stayed with Lad at his home. He went to the identical college as Rohit Sharma and Lad’s son.
“This is his natural batting style. He scored 78 and picked five wickets when I saw him for the first time in a school game. That knock of 78 was similarly aggressive. The only difference is that he showed some patience today. His usual batting style is very aggressive,” Lad advised IANS.
Thakur, 29, himself mentioned that he has expertise for batting and had been working at nets.
“I have some talent for batting. In nets, I don’t just bowl but whenever we have throwdown specialists available with the team, I practice batting too. These moments are the ones for which we wait. So when this opportunity came, I had one thing on my mind, just bat. I thought the longer I stay on the pitch, the more runs I will get and reduce the lead. Idea was to spend time in the middle,” Thakur advised reporters.
He had beforehand performed in Brisbane in 2016 with the India A staff.
“We were here in 2016. We played a couple of four-day games at the Allan Border Field. Though the pitch there is different. But at least you get used to the climate. You are used to the Australian conditions. So when you take that leap from India A to India team, the transition is not that difficult. It is all about how you execute the plans when you play for the senior teams,” Thakur mentioned in reply to a query from IANS on previous expertise in Australia.
Lad says Thakur’s large plus level is that he retains calm. “On this wicket, you have to keep cool. Play with straight bat and pitch the ball up to take wickets. That is what he has done,” he mentioned. “His advantage is that he bowls outswing unlike others and is also quick.”
Before his 67 on Sunday, he picked three wickets in Australia’s first innings. Two of these wickets got here of deliveries pitched up nicely. The one which eliminated Paine moved away and had him caught in slips.
