Former India cricketer Irfan Pathan has backed pacer Shardul Thakur and said that the team needs players like him. Thakur picked up three wickets as India beat New Zealand by 90 runs in Indore to help the Men in Blue clean sweep the three-match ODI series.
Shardul Thakur made 25 runs with the bat as well and was also named the Player of the Match as well for his performance.
Irfan Pathan said Thakur is a trier, adding that he will always be in your face and wants to keep taking wickets.
“If you ask Shardul, he will be the No. 1. He bowled really well. He is a trier; he keeps trying. When you see him, you will always feel that he doesn't have that kind of swing, he doesn't have that kind of pace which is 140-plus consistently, but he will always be in your face and he wants to keep taking wickets,” said Pathan on Star Sports.
Pathan further added that the Indian team needs players like Shardul Thakur as going into the ODI World Cup at home, the team needs 6-7 options at its disposal.
"You want guys like him in the team as well. With him, especially when you are talking about the World Cup, you need at least six-seven options in your hand as far as the team combination is concerned,” Pathan added.
Pathan backed Shardul to become a certainty for India at no.8 thanks to his batting abilities.
