Shardul Thakur’s inclusion raised eyebrows but the Mumbai all-rounder played his part well in the IND vs ENG 4th Test. Thakur replacing Nitish Reddy, stroked a fine knock in testing conditions at Manchester. The 33-year-old stitched vital partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar after Rishabh Pant got injured.
Shardul Thakur repays faith with gritty knock
Shardul Thakur’s career seemed to have ended after the 33-year-old was dropped from his comeback series after the 1st Test. India preferred Nitish Reddy for the next two games and had found a winning combination. However an injury crisis ahead of the IND vs ENG 4th Test meant that Shardul was thurst back into the playing XI in Manchester.
He walked into bat after India lost Sai Sudharsan late on Day 1. Thakur was promoted ahead of Washington Sundar, further signaling Gautam Gambhir’s belief in the all-rounder. The veteran stitched two crucial partnerships with Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar to take India past the 300-run mark.
He was steady in defence and found a way to strike a few boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking. He eventually managed 41 off 88 deliveries, standing tall when his side needed the most. While his contribution isn’t the biggest, it certainly guided India into control at Manchester.
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