Ranji Trophy: Shardul Thakur eyes India return after all-round heroics
What's the story
Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur has shown his all-round skills in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir.
His quick-fire half-century of 51 runs from just 57 balls helped Mumbai cross the 100-run mark in the first innings. They were down to 47/7 at one stage.
This is not a one-off incident, but a part of Thakur's pattern of delivering under pressure this season.
Match contribution
Thakur's crucial partnership in recent Ranji match
In the latest Ranji Trophy match, Thakur was instrumental in stabilizing Mumbai's innings.
Despite a strong line-up, including India captain Rohit Sharma and opener Yashasvi Jaiswal, Mumbai were reeling at 47/7.
Thakur then stepped up to score a cautious 51 off 57 balls, stitching a significant 63-run partnership with Tanush Kotian for the eighth wicket and taking the team to a total of 120 runs.
Comeback hopes
Thakur expresses desire for India comeback
Notably, Thakur has been missing from Team India team since December 2023 owing to a spin-heavy home season. He was later replaced with all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
In a recent media interaction, he had said he was eager to return to the national squad.
"What can I talk about my quality? Others should talk about it. They should see that if someone has quality, he should be given more chances," Thakur told the media.
Mental toughness
Thakur's resilience in challenging situations
Thakur's mental toughness is reflected in his ability to perform under pressure.
"I like batting in difficult situations. In easy situations, everyone does well, but how you put up the show in adverse situations matters," he said.
His resilience was on display last season when he scored his maiden First-Class century in the Ranji Trophy semi-final, steering Mumbai from 106/7 to 378 against Tamil Nadu.
Philosophy
Thakur's philosophy and recent IPL disappointment
Despite having a setback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction last December, when he went unsold, Thakur is focused on the future.
"You have to forget whatever has happened in the past; it is not going to change. It is important to be in the present and think about what you can do in the near future," he said.
Notably, Thakur has featured in 11 Tests, 47 ODIs, and 25 T20Is for Team India.