I would like to win more and more matches for the team: Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur might have not made the cut for the T20 World Cup down under, but says his current objective is now to find himself a place in the Indian side for the upcoming 2023 ODI World Cup.

He has proven his worth over time and with the kind of all-round dependability that he brings to the side. Talking on the eve of the second ODI against India, the all-rounder opened up on failing to feature in the T20 World Cup squad.

“There is definitely disappointment. It’s every player’s dream to play and win a World Cup. This time, I am not selected. That’s fine. There is a lot cricket…an ODI World Cup ahead. So, my focus is to do well in the matches ahead. I like to make winning contributions. I would like to win more and more matches for the team,” said Thakur.

Talking about his preparations and his mindset, Thakur said, “As a player, your responsibility is to be ready whenever and wherever you are asked to play. I try to be mentally ready.”

Despite a star-studded batting order, Team India will be keen to find someone who can probably chime in with crucial 20 runs in the end but what is paramount to the Men in Blue is that a crucial few overs is being prised out without much hassle. In the first ODI against the Proteas, Thakur demonstrated that he could be the man to fill in that gap in the Indian ODI eleven.

Thakur said, “I’ve been focusing on batting for quite some time now. Coming in to bat at No 7-8, even No 9, can add a few runs to the total. It gives you (the team) cushion and allows the top order batters to play freely. Teams that do well in international cricket have a batting line-up which is quite deep. If you look at Australia, Pat Cummins and Mitch Starc bat at No 8-9. Even England’s batting line-up is deep. Then why not India? We can make a difference of 15-20 runs which can be crucial in winning the match.”