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The India national cricket team will be up against the England national cricket team for a white-ball series, which is scheduled to begin in Durham on Wednesday, July 1 as a 5-match T20I series, followed by a three-match ODI series. Ahead of the first T20I match, Men in Blue all-rounder Shardul Thakur shared his thoughts on his last tour of England.
The last time India toured England for the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, which was a 5-match Test series, Shardul Thakur was in the squad. He was criticized for his performance in England. However, if he is re-elected he is ready to give his best for the country.
“I don’t feel I was utilized properly” – Shardul Thakur on being underutilized
However, now the Mumbai pacer has taken a dig at head coach Gautam Gambhir, speaking openly about being under-utilized in the series and regretting his bowling timing. Thakur played only two Tests in the five-match series, bowling only 27 overs and taking two wickets.
Speaking to Rev Sportz, he said, “When I played in England, I don’t think I was used properly. In batting, yes, it was my fault I played loose shots at Leeds. But in Manchester, I batted beautifully, I would say, because it was overcast, the ball was swinging, and there was a length where the ball was barely bouncing.”
“I survived that spell and India still posted a very strong score in the first innings. Then the pitch became flat and we were able to save the game as well.”
Shardul Thakur played the third Test in Leeds and the fourth Test in Old Trafford. He performed well in England. While batting, he scored 1, 4, 41 and DNB in two test matches. Shardul took two wickets in the third Test and could take no wickets in the fourth as India lost in Leeds and drew in Manchester.
Looking back on the series, he felt he could have contributed more. “It’s very hard to comment on why I missed out on some selections. But after the 2024-25 season, the kind of season I had, I feel I could have played a few more games and really made a difference.
“I deserved a few more chances” – Shardul Thakur on playing for India again
Shardul Thakur feels that he should get more opportunities to play for the Men in Blue team. He also believes that he is always ready to play for the national team as it is a dream to play for the country and he is ready to contribute with both bat and ball in all formats for the team.
“So it’s not like I didn’t contribute when I last played for India. But yes, I think I deserved a few more chances. I would say it was about being bowled less and being used in the wrong phases. I would say there were some errors in calculation,” he said. He said, “Hope is still alive. If, in the near future, they ever ask me to play for India again, I will be ready.”
“Playing for India is a dream – everyone’s dream. Even during my previous stint with the Indian team, there were some games where I made an impact and literally won matches for the team. So, even in the near future, or whenever I make a comeback, I am still ready to contribute as much as I can (in both red-ball and white-ball cricket).”
