“A dream come true” – Shardul Thakur, Washington Sundar relive their memorable Brisbane moments
Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar are living a dream. In the first innings, the duo picked three wickets each, scored resilient fifties, and shared a 123-run stand for the seventh wicket to bring India back into the decisive Brisbane Test.
Speaking to Ravichandran Ashwin after the third day’s play, Shardul Thakur described his first Test wicket as a ‘dream come true’.
After years of toil in domestic cricket, Thakur finally got this Test cap against West Indies in 2018. But he got injured after ten balls and played no further part in the Test. He had to wait over two years to play his next Test due to a plethora of injuries to the frontline pacers.
Thakur made his recall count by putting up an incredible all-round show, beginning with dismissing Marcus Harris with his first ball of the Test.
“It wasn’t easy to bowl those ten balls, get injured and grind back in domestic cricket. Then waiting over two years to play this Test and then picking a wicket off the first ball is a dream come true. I am happy to contribute to team’s cause,” Shardul Thakur told Ravichandran Ashwin in a video shared by the BCCI.
Shardul Thakur, the batsman
Shardul Thakur got off the mark in Test cricket with a six off Pat Cummins. He hit another one to bring up his fifty. The 29-year-old played a few gorgeous cover drivers that Ravichandran Ashwin compared with Viv Richards.
Speaking on his batting, Shardul Thakur further added:
“I didn’t look to hit a six at that point (referring to the pull off Cummins). I saw the ball and reacted instinctively. It just came off well."
His batting partner Washington Sundar added that he could anticipate Shardul Thakur’s six that got him to the fifty-mark.
Thakur further said that he didn’t practice the booming drives, and that it was just one of those days when everything went right.
In 2006, in Mumbai’s school cricket tournament – Giles Shield – Shardul Thakur had smacked six sixes off an over that would find him a place in headlines. A decade-and-half later, he has come a long way.
Test cricket not easy: Washington Sundar
Washington Sundar had last played a First-Class game in 2017. He stayed with the team after the Australian tour’s limited-overs leg as a net bowler and was only included in the squad after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out.
Ravichandran Ashwin’s injury paved the way for him into the Test line-up. Filling up his Tamil Nadu senior’s gigantic shoes, Washington Sundar would pick Steve Smith as his first wicket. He would finish with a three-for in the first innings before making 62 with the bat.
Ravichandran Ashwin jokingly asked Washington Sundar if he felt Test cricket was very easy. The 21-year-old replied:
“Test cricket is definitely the toughest format. I am very happy and fortunate that I could start off in this fashion. There was a lot of support from the family, and I could do it.”
Both Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar have an important role with the ball on the fourth day, as India looks to return home with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.