After finishing with 48 wickets in the Ranji Trophy 2014-15 season as the joint highest wicket-taker with Vinay Kumar, Shardul Thakur led Mumbaiās attack to the title in the 2015-16 season. His tally of 41 wickets in the last season played a crucial role in the team lifting the coveted trophy.
The young fast bowler led the Mumbai attack across formats in the 2014-15 season with Dhawal Kulkarni being away on national duty and then combined forces with the senior pacer in the following season to dominate the multi-day format. His diligence has earned the 24-year old lad a call up to Indiaās Test team for West Indies.
Speaking to BCCI.TV after the selection, Thakur said, āThe Test call up is a very important thing in my life. I am looking forward to it because it was always a dream to get into Indiaās Test team.ā
Thakur has tested batsmen in Indiaās domestic circuit with his ability to combine pace and swing and credits his domestic team-mates for their advice and support. He has picked 133 wickets from 37 first-class games since his debut in 2012. The pacer says that the valuable inputs of former India captain Sachin Tendulkar and former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan besides other seniors in the side has helped garner success. āAfter being dropped for a while, I made a comeback the very next season and have been taking wickets (consistently since then). I think the senior players have played a big role in my life. All those who I have played with ā Abhishek Nayar, Wasim Jaffer, Zak (Zaheer Khan) and also Sachin (Tendulkar) have helped me. All the experience that those guys have shared with me and all the finer points that they have shared with me has helped me a lot.ā
Besides being part of the Mumbai team, Thakur had the opportunity to interact with former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath at the MRF Pace Foundation. The fast bowler is among those who was sent by the BCCI to the Pace Foundation to work on his skills and learn from the experienced campaigner. āMRF Pace Foundation was a short camp for me. It was an interactive camp where we interacted with Glenn McGrath and practiced as well. McGrath sharing his experience has also helped. He is a legend in world cricket so his experience counts and whatever he has told us, we have to try it. If it suits us, we have to continue doing it and keep working on it,ā he said while reflecting on the experience.
Armed with all the knowledge gained from seniors and legends, the youngster is gearing up for the experience with the national side under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Speaking about his preparations, Thakur said, āInitially, I will do my training and then start bowling as well. I will try to do my basics correctly as of now. When I reach there, I will assess the situation and practice accordingly.
āI will continue what I have been doing for the last few years. My focus will be on that and when you do that other things follow,ā he added.
Asked about relishing the conditions that await him in the West Indies, Thakur observed, āNowadays, everyone prepares a sporting track. You cannot judge (if it) will be suitable for fast bowling alone. But yes, definitely there is some help for the fast bowlers as well. It is up to me how do I take and how I make use of the pitches to the fullest.
āI have never been to the West Indies. I have watched the Test matches on TV; so certainly there is help for the fast bowlers. There is something or the other so I am excited to play in those conditions. Whatever practice or matches that I play there it will be something new and a learning curve for me,ā he concluded.
