Back in 2021, Shardul Thakur helped India win a series in Australia and then earned his ‘Lord’ nickname on the tour of England. After some setbacks, he’s once again back in the India fold, as one of the more experienced players in the squad for England.
Now 33, Shardul Thakur last played a Test match for India at Centurion in December 2023. Feted as Lord after his heroics on the England tour in 2021, he slipped out of the selectors’ thoughts soon after India returned from South Africa. Not picked for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia last year, he reminded those that matter of his value with some sterling displays for Mumbai in domestic cricket. Those efforts were rewarded with a call-up for the upcoming England tour. In this exclusive interview with Boria Majumdar on Backstage with Boria for RevSportz, Shardul spoke of bouncing back from setbacks and how India will navigate the tour without the experience of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
Speaking on the comeback, Shardul said, “I believe my performance in domestic cricket is the reason behind the selectors considering me. My family is very happy, and so am I for this opportunity to be able to travel with Team India after a year’s time. I would say I am very fortunate to be selected back into India A and the Indian team. I am not thinking about whether I will get to play the first Test at Leeds, rather I am just enjoying this feeling of being selected again. This feeling is like a dream that is mixed with nervousness and excitement, much like it was the very first time when I got selected for India.”
On how difficult the journey was from Australia to now, after being ignored for that tour, he said, “Yes, the Australian tour was a setback for me, but personally, once on the field, I play with no second thoughts about whether I will be selected somewhere or not. I believe, as professional cricketers, we are supposed to move past setbacks – and that’s how we respect our skills. Somewhere, I knew if I could give winning performances while playing domestic cricket, I might be under the selectors’ consideration again. Playing for India should always be taken as a do-or-die situation, because this is a big stage where the next chance might not come.”
On whether he will miss Rohit and Virat in the dressing room, he added, “Yes, definitely, as they will not play Test cricket anymore. They are the most senior and experienced ones in the game at present, but then again, it’s a personal call when they realise they will not be able to contribute and drive the format the same way as before. There is a great deal of protection when senior players are around, and having a good mix of senior and junior players in the team provides flourishing results. But then again, a young and talented team like the current one has a different sort of enthusiasm, and it’s going to be a challenging yet enriching tour for everyone. With the absence of driving forces like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, I guess the most experienced player now is Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja). So overall, it is going to be an interesting tour for everyone, with different responsibilities on the shoulders, including new captaincy.”
Finally, speaking on captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Rishabh Pant, he added, “They both are big players and the future of India for sure. They are very different in character – where Shubman is very serious and calm, a composed kind of person when it comes to the game, and Rishabh is a funny and lively guy. But this again is their USP in their own way. They have contributed to the game on the biggest and most crucial stages, and that makes them very promising players for the future of India.”
For more sports updates and exclusive interviews, follow RevSportz