In the second ODI against Australia during the ongoing home series, Shardul Thakur faced a challenging spell. Despite his recent strong performance in the Asia Cup 2023, Thakur remained wicketless and conceded 35 runs in his four overs.
Team India has generally been in good form throughout the series, with the batsmen performing well. However, concerns lingered about the middle-order batting strength, prompting a closer examination of Shardul Thakur’s performance.
Thakur’s struggles began in the first ODI in Mohali, where he failed to take any wickets and proved to be expensive with the ball. The situation did not improve in the second ODI held in Indore, where India amassed an imposing total of 399 runs. Due to rain interruptions, Australia faced a challenging target of 317 runs in 33 overs, and Prasidh Krishna’s early wickets had put them on the back foot.
Shardul Thakur is expected to play a key role in the World Cup 2023
In such a dominant position, it was crucial for India to maintain pressure and capitalize on Australia’s vulnerability. Unfortunately, Shardul Thakur failed to do so, allowing the Aussie top-order batsmen to regain control. This prompted criticism from former Australian cricketer Mark Waugh, who referred to Thakur as a ‘bits and pieces’ cricketer, drawing parallels to similar criticism of Ravindra Jadeja by Sanjay Manjrekar in 2019.
Despite these challenges, Shardul Thakur remains a part of India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ODI World Cup 2023, which commences on October 5. Thakur made his national debut in 2017 and has featured in 68 limited-overs games. While he’s often recognized as the ‘Golden arm’ for his knack for taking crucial wickets, his impact has been more pronounced in red-ball cricket.
In Test cricket, Shardul Thakur has contributed significantly to India’s memorable victories, including the series win against Australia in their own territory and a successful series in England. With 10 Test matches under his belt, Thakur has established himself as a valuable asset to the Indian cricket team, showcasing his skills and determination on numerous occasions.
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