Eng vs Ind: Shardul Thakur, who broke Ian Botham’s record of fastest Test fifty in England, said that when someone is entrusted with responsibility, he has to take it “perform by hook or crook”.
Shardul Thakur took India to a respectable total: ENG vs IND.
Shardul Thakur on the first day of the 4th Test scored his second half-century off 31 balls and broke Ian Botham’s record after 35 years as he helped India attain a respectable total.
“You have to take responsibility whether you are a pacer or a batter. If you are playing for India, so whenever you get a chance you have to shoulder responsibility by hook or by crook,” Shardul said after the end of the day.
“For me, it was a challenge and whenever I get to bat, I have to create such an impact that it opens the door for my team’s victory,” The Mumbai boy said scoring his 2nd fifty.
Indian players have nicknamed him ‘Beefy’ which is legendary Ian Botham’s famous nickname. “Pretty happy getting so much love from teammates that they want to call me by a certain nickname,” said smilingly.
When asked about Ravindra Jadeja’s batting order change, “Whether Rishabh goes or Jaddu goes, it doesn’t really matter. We have seen Jadeja score crucial runs and bat patiently. It was just to use a left-right combo, we send him up the order,” said Shardul.
“The more you play with straight bat in the English conditions, more runs you will get. The ball swings excessively so it’s better to play straight. My coaches tell me to play with straight bat and score as much as possible with the tail.”
The pull shot to get to his fifty was according to him his “favourite” of the three sixes and it helped that the ball swung less with no overhead clouds at the time when he batted.
“If you look, our total is not very high. We have an amazing opportunity to restrict them to low total and game will be neck and neck,” Shaedul said about the plan from now.
