It has been a dream run of form for Shardul Thakur in the recent past as he has stood up tall both with the bat whenever India have needed him to deliver. He has hit three half-centuries in his first five Test innings and has also picked up big wickets in crucial junctures of the game to lift India.
In the limited-overs cricket, he comes in handy with the ability to hot long shots in the end overs of the game while he also has a happy nack of picking up big wickets against run of play. However, when India announced their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, his name was missing from the first fifteen players on the list.
He could only earn a place among reserves for the tournament and although he expressed “little disappointment’ for not making it to the main squad, he said that the preparation will be on to be ready in case India need him once again in the big tournament. Calling the chance to play for India a dream for everyone, Shardul chose to be optimistic about getting a chance in the main event.
“Yes, I am a little disappointed. It’s everyone’s dream to play and win the World Cup for your country. If you talk about the Oval Test, then yes, it (my performance) was (in) red-ball format. But if you see, I have done well in both the departments in white-ball cricket too over a period of last two years. Now I’m a part of the reserves for the World Cup, so I guess I have to be ready. I can get a call-up at any moment,” Shardul said to TOI.
Earlier this week, in a remarkable turn of events, Virat Kohli announced that he will step down from captaincy in the format after the completion of the world cup and it was “quite surprising” for Shardul who has played most of his cricket at the international level under the leadership of Virat Kohli. He could not make up his mind on the reasons that would have led Kohli to give up captaincy but said that he will congratulate him over his captaincy after India will lift the T20 World Cup starting next month.
“It’s quite surprising. I wish he had continued (as captain after the T20 World Cup too), but he has done the job for India since the past few years. So according to him, maybe it's time to move on as the India T20 captain. I haven’t had the opportunity to speak to him. I would like to congratulate him on his time as the India T20 captain, but only after we win this World Cup. Till then, he is still our captain,” Shardul added.
Shardul has come back to the Chennai Super Kings where he will play an important role for the MS Dhoni-led side. He will have one final chance to prove his worth in the shortest format before the T20 World Cup and stake claim to any future opening in the team for the marquee global event.