Indian pacer Shardul Thakur revealed that he is seen as the all-format cricketer by the national team management despite being first overlooked for the Asia Cup 2022 and then for the T20 World Cup 2022.
The seam bowling all-rounder further claimed that India captain Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid told him that he was a "three-format player" a few months back, but he could not have any discussion with them lately due to the hectic international schedule.
Notably, Thakur made his debut for India in 2017 and has so far played in 8 Tests, 24 ODIs, and 25 T20Is, taking a combined 96 wickets.
He was last seen in action for Team India on the recent Zimbabwe tour and is currently representing India A in the ongoing three-match one-day series with New Zealand A.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo, Shardul Thakur stated: “In the first conversation between them and me, they conveyed to me that I am a three-format player for them. They are looking at me in all three formats. After that [conversation], we really did not sit and have a chat because we have been playing games regularly. If you see, the schedule is packed.”
He continued, “The Indian team is playing series after series with a gap of just four-five days. No one has really had time to sit and chat with each other. All the chat that we have had otherwise was game-based, or planning in terms of strategy for the next game - that kind of stuff.”
Meanwhile, the 30-year-old all-rounder returned with impressive figures of 4/32 in 8.2 overs to help India A beat New Zealand A by seven wickets in a one-day match on Thursday, and he is hoping his performance will help him get recalled to the senior team.
Shardul added, “I am bowling well, getting wickets. Even in the last two white-ball series [against Zimbabwe and the West Indies] that I’ve played, I have taken wickets. So definitely looking for a national call again whenever they want my services.”
The all-rounder stressed that it is important for the players to prepare themselves with different skills that the three formats demand.
He concluded, “The moment T20 cricket was introduced, players had the challenge to switch between formats. As a professional, it’s our responsibility to switch immediately. In recent years, the switch has been happening a lot. It’s not the case where you play red ball first, you move on to ODIs and then T20Is, it all depends on what kind of schedule we have. I think as a player we just have to be ready.”
(ESPNCricinfo inputs)
