“Shardul Thakur gets very limited credit for the way he bowls”,Aakash Chopra praises Lord Thakur.
India’s batting unit showcased exceptional teamwork, securing a convincing 200-run victory against the West Indies in the crucial 3rd ODI at Trinidad on Tuesday. The opening pair of Ishan Kishan (77 runs off 64 balls, including 8 fours and 3 sixes) and Shubman Gill (85 runs off 92 balls, with 11 fours) set the stage with a commanding partnership of 143 runs in just 19.4 overs. Hardik Pandya, standing in as skipper, contributed an unbeaten 70 off 52 balls (4 fours and 5 sixes), and Sanju Samson added 51 runs off 41 balls (2 fours and 4 sixes), propelling India to an imposing total of 352 runs.
In response, the West Indies struggled to gain momentum throughout their innings. Shardul Thakur, the paceman, delivered a mesmerizing performance, claiming four wickets for only 37 runs in 6.3 overs. Shai Hope’s side could only muster 151 runs in 35.3 overs. Mukesh Kumar, another pace bowler, took three wickets for 30 runs, while spinner Kuldeep Yadav contributed with two wickets for 25 runs.
Notably, JioCinema expert Aakash Chopra praised Shardul Thakur’s outstanding bowling performance. Thakur currently holds the record for the most wickets among Indian bowlers in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup. With 48 wickets in 32 matches, he has overtaken Kuldeep Yadav, who also has the same number of wickets in the same number of matches.
Aakash Chopra said “In the previous match itself, Shardul took three wickets. He gets very limited credit for the way he bowls. I am trying to figure out how he takes so many wickets and why he is expensive, both things going hand-in-hand.”
Chopra highlighted “If you are taking three wickets, the economy shouldn’t be much to worry about because 300 is going to be there as a target. He doesn’t give more than 6 runs per over, must be 6.1-6.2. The number of balls he bowls, the chances of him getting a wicket are very bright.”
He moreover added “We say it’s wicket-taking luck, but if you closely observe Shardul, the reason why he has the wicket-taking luck is because he bowls in those areas and he has a lot of belief. If you ever ask him how good are you? He would answer: “equal to Dennis Lillee!”. That’s the confidence he has, and I love him for that.”