Shardul Thakur starred in India's Brisbane Test win with 7 wickets and score of 67.
Former Pakistani skipper, Inzamam-ul-Haq feels that Shardul Thakur’s performance against Australia in the fourth Test match has made him a strong candidate for India's all-rounder slot and said that Thakur will be a threat to the rest of the Indian side.
With almost a dozen players from the Indian contingent sustaining injuries ahead of the fourth Test-match the likes of Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, who had the cumulative experience of four Tests, combined to take 20 Australian wickets in the Gabba.
The young Indian Team led by Ajinkya Rahane staggered the entire cricket fraternity and earned praises from all corners, including the likes of Virat Kohli, Ricky Ponting, Matthew Hayden, Tom Moody, and many more.
However Former Pakistan captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, was enchanted with India's new faces who have made a mark in the fourth Test against Australia in Brisbane and said it’s very tough to do what India's bowlers have been able to in the series.
“Like batsmen's job is to not lose wickets and score runs, the bowlers also have a task to not only pick wickets but stop the runs. That India's inexperienced bowlers would face this kind of pressure was something I never imagined.
It's very tough to do what India's bowlers have been able to in the series. If I have to compare the bowlers of the two teams, I am more impressed with India's bowling,” Inzamam said on his YouTube channel.
Inzamam-Ul-Haq, 50, was delighted with Shardul Thakur’s all-round performance in the fourth Test match and said his phenomenal all-rounder performances have made him a strong candidate for India's all-rounder slot and that going forward, it will not be easy for the team management to ignore him.
“India has gained so many new players in the series. [Shardul] Thakur took three wickets in the first innings and then another four in the second. While batting, he scored 60-odd runs so I think this new all-rounder will be a threat to the rest of the players in the Indian team.
I feel it's a fabulous effort by the Indian team, especially because they stopped Australia from playing the way they usually do,” he said.
Inzamam further heaped praise on Mohammed Siraj, who became the leader of the attack in his third Test-match after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out of the fourth-Test, and said that Mohammed Siraj is becoming a world-class bowler.
“I've been saying from the beginning that I see Mohammed Siraj becoming a world-class bowler. The way he dismissed those five wickets, he's proven it. Taking five wickets is one thing, but to give the team timely wickets where you can't afford to give away runs and bowl with aggression, that’s where he has excelled the most,” he concluded.
Despite being battered and bruised, Ajinkya Rahane-led Team India showed great resilience and application and carved their way to a 2-1 series victory over Australia to retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
(Hindustan Times inputs)