Shardul Thakur stepped towards the pitch with India having just lost its best batsman and skipper Virat Kohli chasing a stiff 316 in the ODI series decider in Cuttack last Sunday (December 23). But the pacer showed unfazed attitude and strong temperament in the heat of the battle, scoring an extremely important 6-ball 17 not out to take the team home alongside all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja and seal the three-match series 2-1 against West Indies. 

"When I was going out to bat, Ravi (Shastri) sir told me to take the responsibility and finish the game," Thakur told The Indian Express. "He said, ‘I have the talent to do it’. When I was entering the ground, Virat said it would be better to take a single and give the strike to Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja)."

Read Also: Virat Kohli praises Shardul Thakur in Marathi for his match-winning knock in Cuttack

"But fortunately for me, I connected the first ball from the middle of the bat. Jaddu had told me that since the dew had settled, the ball was coming on to the bat nicely. After I hit the first-ball four, the pressure on Jadeja also came down, since the asking rate reduced a bit."

"It was clear that I would be batting at No.8. When Virat was batting, I thought that I wouldn’t have to go bat and he would finish the game. The way he was batting was pleasing to see, the target which he achieved was remarkable," Thakur further added. 

The 28-year-old Mumbaikar believes having done this before for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL really helped. "I have finished the game in IPL, Faf (du Plessis) was batting with me then," he said. "I had hit a four in that game too. The important thing in such situations is to stay on the crease and rotate the strike. I have been in such a situation before, so it helps, as I know what I have to do."

It must have felt special when the jam-packed Barabati stadium shouted "Shardul!! Shardul!!" for his contribution towards the win. 

"These things are expected in the stadium. People will cheer for you once you do well," he said modestly. "It is part of the game, it is important to celebrate the moment with the team. I don’t believe in shouting and jumping. It’s a team effort. This was the series-decider and we won the game from a difficult situation."

(Inputs from The Indian Express)