The Indian all-rounder, Shardul Thakur has made a strong case for his selection in India’s World Cup squad after a stellar performance in the ODI series against West Indies. The seam-bowling all-rounder was the most successful bowler in the series, picking up eight wickets from three games.
Thakur’s best bowling figures came in the series decider, where he took 4 wickets for 37 runs. He also scored 35 runs with the bat in that match, helping India to a comprehensive victory. Thakur is not getting carried away by his recent form, however. He is determined to keep contributing to the team and not focus on sealing his place in the World Cup squad.
“I never think that I have to play to seal my spot because I can’t play with that mentality and I am not that type of player,” Thakur said after the match. “If I am not picked in the World Cup squad it’s their call, I cannot do much about it. I always try to perform for the team and play according to the situation of a match.”
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Shardul Thakur believes that every game from here is important for India ahead of the World Cup.
“With World Cup coming up every game that you play is going to be important from the team’s perspective… For us individually also all games that we play before the World Cup are important,” he said.
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Talking about the series-deciding ODI, Thakur said it was a complete performance from the team. He especially praised Ishan Kishan and Shubman Gill for their batting exploits.
“Shubman and Ishan batted very well in powerplay. They gave us a strong start and that’s why we can put on a big score,” said Thakur. “We expected a strong fight from West Indies but Mukesh Kumar (3/30) bowled a fine opening spell with the new ball. The first three wickets were crucial. We bowled as a unit.”
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Thakur’s performances in the West Indies have certainly put him in contention for a place in India’s World Cup squad. However, he knows that he will need to keep performing at a high level if he wants to make the final cut.
