After entertaining one and all with his dazzling batting display on Day 1 of the fourth Test at the Oval against England, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur on Thursday (September 2) said when one is entrusted with responsibility, he has to "perform by hook or crook".
The visitors were reeling at 127/7 when Shardul arrived in the middle and he slammed his second Test half-century off 31 balls, surpassing the legendary English all-rounder Sir Ian Botham on the list of batsmen with the fastest fifties in England in the longest format.
Thanks to Thakur’s 36-ball 57, India managed to post a respectable 191 on the board in their first innings.
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"You have to take responsibility whether you are a pacer or a batter. If you are playing for India, so whenever you get a chance you have to shoulder responsibility by hook or by crook," Shardul said in the virtual press conference after the first day’s play at the Oval.
"For me, it was a challenge and whenever I get to bat, I have to create such an impact that it opens the door for my team's victory," added the Mumbai all-rounder, who has already hit a fifty in India's historic win at the Gabba earlier this year.
The advice given to him by coaches was to play as straight as possible and he tried doing that.
"The more you play with straight bat in English conditions, more runs you will get. The ball swings excessively so its better to play straight. My coaches tell me to play with straight bat and score as much as possible with the tail."
Shardul Thakur’s knock was studded with 7 fours, 3 sixes and it was the pull shot to notch up his half-century was his "favourite" of the three maximums.
With the ball, India reduced England to 53/3 at stumps on Day 1. While Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the English openers Rory Burns (5) and Haseeb Hameed (0) cheaply, Umesh Yadav got rid of the in-form Joe Root on 21.
Shardul said the target is to restrict the hosts to a low first innings score and take the game from thereon.
"If you look, our total (191) is not very high. We have an amazing opportunity to restrict them to low total and game will be neck and neck," he stated.
(With PTI inputs)
