"I am a little disappointed, I have done well in both the departments in white-ball cricket over the last two years" - Shardul Thakur on T20 World Cup snub
Team India bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur has expressed his disappointment about not making it to the 15-man squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Thakur, however, did find a place in the reserves along with Deepak Chahar and Shreyas Iyer. The reserve players will be added to the squad if any of the players in the team face any injury issues.
In an interview with the Times of India, Shardul Thakur revealed his disappointment on being snubbed from the 15-man list. Thakur asserted that everyone dreams of representing their country in a World Cup and winning it. He said:
"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."
Many fans were surprised not to see Shardul Thakur in the Indian squad as he has been a standout performer for the team in the recent past. Selectors may have missed a trick by not selecting Thakur as a backup option for Hardik Pandya.
Virat Kohli has been very supportive: Shardul Thakur
Shardul Thakur also spoke about his relationship with Indian skipper Virat Kohli. Thakur revealed that the skipper is always supportive and pushes them to perform at their best on the field. Asked about his equation with Virat Kohli, Thakur said:
"My relationship with him is very good. We often joke about a lot of things. At times, I try to pull his leg too, but only if he is in a mood. After all, there are many things that he needs to handle. I like to play under his captaincy. We go through different moods on the field. He has been very supportive and always motivates us to perform to our maximum potential."
Shardul Thakur will now turn up for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the second half of the IPL after a fruitful tour of England.