Shardul Thakur said India had become aware of the harassment of Australian front archers. He also shared how he played a part in his partnership with Washington Sundar in the first innings of the Brisbane Test. The Test batters for the first time posted 123 runs for the seventh wicket, which set the tone for India’s consolidation in the Test.
With a fine of 67 in the first innings and a maids goal of seven wikis, Shardul Thakur was one of India’s leading Brisbane-winning architects.
Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon were top bow players in Australia in all four Tests, meaning they were about to get tired. With this in mind, India worked on a strategy.
In an interview after returning to India, Shardul Thakur recalled how side batting coach Vikram Rathour warned him not to play any silly bullets.
Our batting coach Vikram Rathour said, ‘Play the ball on merit, don’t play a silly bullet.’ I told Sundar to hang around because their archers were getting tired. Australia had not rested their sailors in the entire Test series. That was the only bowling attack at play, and we could feel them getting tired. The more they got tired, the easier it was to get.
And that is exactly what happened.
We knew we would win: Shardul Thakur
With the series on the line, India went down 328 on the final day courtesy of a gutsy batting display.
Throwing more light on the team’s sentiment, Thakur said the Indians were always going for the win and never felt the Test was fading away.
We all went to win. As the game got closer, we knew we’d pull it off. I think the only time we all had doubts in the first innings was when we lost six wikis for about 180 runs. ”
“When Washington Sundar and I were batting and crossing the 300 run mark, we both saw the scoreboard and felt that the lead was not so great. We can take this game off in second innings if we get them out faster, ”Shardul Thakur added.
I love playing fast archers: Shardul Thakur
In 2006, Shardul Thakur made the headlines by breaking six sixes in an extra game at the Giles Shield game. Over the years, the Mumbai cricket gradually made a mark as an accelerator, but always supported his own bat.
Credit him playing on an uneven surface at Palghar and how he enjoyed watching fast bowling, Shardul Thakur added:
“I told myself that if I could hang around for two hours, I would have every view to play. I always enjoy playing fast bowlers; I was never afraid of distance. I am not afraid to go against even 145 kmph plus.
“Probably because of how my cricketing career began. We have land in my hometown where my first few years of cricket were played on matting wickets. The pitch had an uneven kick. in Palghar, so a kick came naturally to me. “
Shardul Thakur regularly looks down on throws. Mind always works like a bat, and he looks for every opportunity to showcase his battery talents. And the Gabba’s first innings were a real moment.
Published January 22, 2021, 19:11 IST