IND vs ENG 2021: In Shardul Thakur, India just might have unearthed an all-rounder it sorely missed
In Shardul Thakur’s case, the saying - "good things come to those who wait” - certainly holds true. Not many will remember his disastrous Test debut against West Indies in 2018. Thakur limped off the field after just 10 balls into his spell; a groin injury forced him to play no more part in the game.
However, the Palghar lad returned to the Test fold during India’s historic series win in Australia earlier in the year. With several first-choice players out injured, Shardul Thakur made his way into the Indian playing XI. He became an unlikely hero whose contributions slipped under the radar, with the likes of Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant receiving all the praise after India’s historic win at the Gabba.
Shardul Thakur scored a half-century and picked up seven wickets in the series-winning Brisbane Test against Australia, giving us a glimpse of what he could offer in the longest format.
In a swashbuckling 123-run partnership alongside Washington Sundar, Thakur scored 67 crucial runs and changed the complexion of the game. He displayed some cracking strokes against a world-class bowling attack comprising the likes of Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins.
Thakur also made a crucial impact on the bowling front and accounted for seven wickets in the Test. Despite all the personal accolades, the broadest smile on Thakur’s face was seen as he held on to a catch at fine leg off Mohammed Siraj’s bowling. His effort helped Siraj record his maiden fifer in Tests - an instance that went unnoticed in the adrenaline on the cricket field. But for those watching closely, Thakur showed that he’s a character always connected to the team and would be willing to run through a brick wall if his side needed him to.
Perhaps, that’s what caught Virat Kohli’s eye. After an unsuccessful performance in the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, Team India decided to change their 'template'. It saw one of the world's best spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin being left out to accommodate a seam-bowling all-rounder, Shardul Thakur, with Ravindra Jadeja playing the lone spinner's role.
The move to drop an ace spinner with 413 wickets and five centuries in Test cricket did raise more than a few eyebrows. Shardul Thakur was seen as a better alternative, despite him having a first-class batting average of just above 16.
Hindsight is a beautiful thing though, isn't it? The section of fans who were unimpressed with the country's number one spinner being dropped, hopped onto the #LordShardul brigade following his performance in the fourth Test at The Oval.
Some believe that Shardul Thakur is an anomaly and some just marvel at his enigma. While few feel he's just lucky to get his wickets and score his runs. And in a sense, they might all be correct.
Shardul Thakur's first-class average with the bat is 16.38, having scored nine fifties. Yet in his four Test matches, Thakur averages 38, having already recorded three half-centuries. Shardul's bowling average in first-class cricket is 28.20 with a strike rate of 53.4. However, in his brief Test career, he averages 22.71 with the ball at a strike rate of 40.1.
There have been days when Thakur has been extremely poor with the ball, but he still manages to produce a moment of magic and turn the game on its head. Perhaps the best example of this would be India's T20 series against England earlier this year.
In the fourth T20I, India were down and out, with England seemingly coasting to a series win. However, Thakur managed to dismiss Eoin Morgan and Ben Stokes in a matter of a couple of deliveries to turn the game on its head. While he was pretty expensive prior to that over, Thakur returned with figures of 4-0-42-3. His two quick wickets were a pivotal moment in the game and the series, as it turned out.
Thakur ended the white-ball series as the highest wicket-taker with 15 scalps (seven wickets in three ODIs and eight wickets in five T20Is) to his name. Can't doubt "the lord" after all, eh?
Shardul Thakur has the potential to be India's impact player in Tests
Now that we've put the anomaly, enigma, luck, or whatever else one chooses to call it, debate to bed, let's go further back to try and unravel the aura around Thakur. In an ODI series decider against West Indies in Cuttack in 2019, India were in a spot of bother before Thakur's priceless 17* off six deliveries helped his side clinch a series victory. It was that match which witnessed the rise of another Thakur meme, "Tula maanla re Thakur".
In the post-match interview, Thakur was asked if he sees himself as a no.8 going forward. He replied:
"Yes, definitely. I know I have the talent to bat and if I can go and contribute these 25-30 runs whenever the team needs, then I think I'm doing my job pretty well. Going forward, I would obviously like to practice and whenever I get an opportunity, I will go out there and score those runs."
Although it has taken a while, it seems like Thakur's practice and determination to grab his opportunities has finally come to fruitation. Perhaps the vast difference in his Test batting average in comparison to first-class cricket might be down to the work he has put in behind the scenes.
Team India have always been searching for a seam-bowling all-rounder that they once had in the legendary Kapil Dev. While the comparisons are far-fetched and too early, Thakur could be the ideal candidate for that role in the Indian team.
India have had bowlers who could bat, producing glimpses of some brilliance in their secondary skills, with the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Stuart Binny producing flashes of the impact Thakur has already made. As recently as 2018, India had Hardik Pandya, who could do a bit of everything and seemed the answer to India's problems with that role in SENA (South Africa, England, New Zealand and Australia) countries.
Shardul, though, has walked the talk. Perhaps he would have never imagined in his wildest dreams what he has achieved in his brief Test career. He has played his role in India's recent stellar run in Tests, be it in Brisbane or London.
With his performances doing the talking for him, Shardul Thakur is making a strong claim to be a regular in the Indian Test side, especially in SENA countries. Known as a genuine swing bowler, Thakur has also proved that he can be a workhorse for his side and fill the role of the fourth seamer.
Speaking about the impact he could create, Shardul Thakur displayed his cricketing smarts in an interview at the end of the fourth day's play at The Oval. The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) man was the first to suggest that India will be looking for some reverse swing with the old ball on Day 5. Here's what he said:
"I think with the old ball, there can be a bit of reverse swing. There's enough rough and Jadeja is trying to bowl into that continuously. I think one side of the ball can get scuffed up a bit from that rough. There can be reverse swing. Not sure about it but we are looking forward to that reverse swing somewhere around the lunch time, before or after that."
We all know what transpired in the post-lunch session on the final day of the Test. Jasprit Bumrah and Umesh Yadav managed to extract some reverse swing and made the most of it. While Thakur accounted for the wicket of Rory Burns, which opened the door for India, he also got rid of the dangerous Joe Root.
Whatever the game situation might be, Thakur makes his presence felt more often than not. He is a fiery, confident and whole-hearted player who believes he can contribute to his side's cause in more than one way.
While he might not rank anywhere amongst greats like Kapil Dev or the man he shares a nickname with - Ian "Beefy" Botham - Shardul Thakur could be the Swiss army knife in Virat Kohli's armor and become the impact player India have been waiting for.