"For 4 or 5 days there won't be any housekeeping service in the hotel"- Shardul Thakur slams Australia for 'horrible' treatment during 2021 Gabba Test
Indian pacer Shardul Thakur launched a scathing attack on Australia's 'horrible' treatment during the final Test at Brisbane during the 2020-21 tour. He mentioned how the team members had no housekeeping for four to five days and had to do it themselves.
There was already growing tension between the sides after pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj faced racial abuse in the previous Test at Sydney. The series was locked at 1-1 with the Border Gavaskar Trophy on the line entering the Brisbane Test.
At the event hosted by IISM, Thakur recalled the horrific experience Team India faced during the series finale at the Gabba, saying:
"The way they treated us was very horrible. For 4 or 5 days there won't be any housekeeping service in the hotel. So if you want to change your bed sheets, you would have to walk up the stairs for four or five floors, get the bed sheets when you are tired, come and change it and do your own things."
He also talked about how the Queensland Governor had derogatory comments about hosting the Indian side.
"Going from Sydney to Brisbane, we also heard the lady governor of Queensland saying if the Indians don't want to come here, don't come, we don't want to host them. There were a lot of negative things being said about us to put us under pressure," said Thakur.
The on-field crowd abuse didn't stop in Sydney and carried over to Brisbane as Siraj and off-spinner Washington Sundar were reportedly abused on Day 1.
Team India overcame all odds to script a famous win at the Gabba
Team India overcame the off-field and on-field hurdles by stunning the Australians with a three-wicket win in the Gabba Test.
Dealing with several injuries during the Australian tour, India played two debutants in T Natarajan and Washington Sundar. The rest of the attack with Thakur, Siraj, and Navdeep Saini also had minimal Test experience. Furthermore, India were without regular skipper Virat Kohli after the first Test and had Ajinkya Rahane leading them.
Yet, with the series on the line, the Indian bowlers stepped up to the party. They displayed composure beyond their years to bowl Australia out for 369 in the first innings.
The batters responded by amassing 336 after being reduced to 186/6 at one stage, thanks to a 123-run stand between Thakur and Sundar. The Indian bowlers again bowled the strong Aussie batting lineup for 294, setting themselves up a target of 328. Led by half-centuries from Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Rishabh Pant, India pulled off the miraculous chase with three wickets remaining.
Massive celebrations followed as India overcame several odds on and off the field to upstage the mighty Aussies 2-1 and retain the Border Gavaskar Trophy.