MUMBAI: Another mega cricket series is fast approaching for India, the five-Test series in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy starting on November 22. Though it is a month away, the build-up has begun with media statements by Australia players. Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur was an unlikely hero in the epic Brisbane Test victory four seasons ago, stepping into an injury-racked team, claiming a seven-wicket haul and hitting a stirring 67. Dropped from the India team after a poor first Test in South Africa last December, he is back in the reckoning after strong performances (255 runs, 16 wickets in 5 matches) in Mumbai’s run to last season’s Ranji Trophy triumph. In an interview to HT, the combative cricketer declared: “This time around also, India will be full of surprises in Australia.”
Excerpts:
The 2020-21 series will be memorable for India’s win against all odds at Brisbane. It was also the highlight of your India career. As India travel again to Australia, it should revive special memories for you.
Of course. I remember that series right from the conversation I had with (coach) Ravi Shastri in the flight. I was (only) part of the ODI squad, but played all three formats and ended up playing the last Test also. The coach had a feeling – he randomly called me in the flight and said, “Shardul, you are part of the ODI team but I am telling you, you are not leaving Australia, you are staying till the last day and I have a gut feeling you will make some difference on the tour”.
We saw how the Test series went, every game there was someone or the other getting injured, in Adelaide it was Shami, Virat also left on paternity leave; Umesh Yadav got injured in Melbourne; in Sydney, Ashwin, Jadeja got injured, Vihari tore his hamstring, Bumrah too was unavailable for the last Test. What I did in Brisbane is probably the highlight of my career, contributing when it mattered the most. We are going to Australia again, the team is not announced, but I am hoping to see my name on the list. Mentally, even in these Ranji games, I am preparing for Australia also. Honestly, I badly want to go to Australia, I want to do something there. A lot of the international teams have failed to win back-to-back series there but this team could be the one to win three-in-a-row, so I want to be part of it.
How you look at Australia, they can be tough to stop when they find momentum.
In recent years, what we have seen is Australia always have the right mix of youth and experience. So do India. (But) they are playing at home, so pressure is on them to do well. We have the last two series wins in Australia; they know they can’t underestimate this Indian team. Also, this Indian team is going to be full of surprises. In 2018-19, we saw different individuals stepping up in different games, the same in the last series. Cricket will be played hard. It will be a tough series for both the teams.
You have come back after an ankle surgery, how has the start gone for you?
Though Irani Cup was my first game post-surgery, it felt like the Baroda game (Ranji game) was my first after surgery because unfortunately I was not well during the Irani game and couldn’t bowl much. In the Baroda game, which we lost, I was a little nervous coming off viral fever. I felt good that on a spin-friendly pitch I could bowl 27 overs, 20 in the first innings, pick up some wickets. Overall, I felt really happy, it was more than what I expected. When you play your first game after surgery, you don’t know how you will shape up, but touchwood, everything went well for me against Baroda.
How valuable is an all-rounder’s role in Australia?
The last few years we have been playing with that combination where I bat at No.8, or if you see in India, Axar Patel comes in at No.8 or 9, we have added batting depth; sometimes if you have bowlers who can’t bat, your total gets smaller. It has played to our advantage overseas. We saw it in England, a couple of Tests in South Africa and in Australia, how important batting at 8 and 9 is with Ashwin scoring those runs on different occasions, Axar and myself scoring in overseas conditions. It allows your bowler a good total to play with, it could easily make a 50-60 run difference.
What was missing in your South Africa Test? What has changed in Ranji?
Sometimes it happens when you play international cricket after a long gap. You warm the bench for the last eight games of the (2023 ODI) World Cup and then suddenly go and play a Test, it can go wrong. I didn’t feel out of rhythm, I just felt it was an off game for me. Coming into Ranji, I wasn’t trying anything different, just express myself as always, whether it is bowling or batting. The highlight for me was the hundred in the semi-final and 75 in the final because we had lost the top order cheaply in both. I believe whenever there is a challenging situation, we are put under pressure, my A game comes out. I enjoy going out in tough situations and bailing the team out.
