Veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh had nothing but absolute praise for pace ace Shardul Thakur after the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star put up a show for the Virat Kohli-led Team India side in the recently concluded 4th Test match against hosts England at The Oval. Shardul’s all-round heroics catapulted him to becoming an ideal candidate for the much-debated pace bowling all-rounder spot in the Indian cricket team.
One of the most promising talents in the current Team India batch, Shardul served a timely reminder of his all-round exploits by delivering the goods for Kohli ‘s men with the bat and ball in the Oval Test match. Shardul slammed twin half-centuries and the speed merchant also bagged the jackpot wicket of Joe Root to put India on the cusp of a famous win at The Oval.
Speaking to Times of India after Team India’s emphatic win over England at the Oval on Monday, Harbhajan lauded Shardul and opined that the Mumbaikar has the potential to become a dependable all-rounder for the national side like legendary Kapil Dev. “If he [Shardul Thakur] continues to work on his batting and continues to put the hard yards in his bowling, he can solve India’s problem of finding a dependable all-rounder after Kapil Dev. It’s so good to see the way he batted, and it will build his confidence going forward,” Harbhajan was quoted as saying.
Fans and followers of the gentlemen’s game have pitted Shardul against all-rounder Hardik Pandya following his noteworthy performances against England in the ongoing Test series. Shardul shattered Ian Botham’s long-standing record by scoring the fastest Test half-century in England at The Oval. The Indian pacer and lower-order batsman is also tipped to feature in India’s squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Oman.
“He has done well for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy for many years. He’s been a dependable player for them. It’s the right time for him to take his game to the next level, and he’s done exactly that. I don’t think CSK or any other IPL franchise has done wonders to his game. He’s matured with age and time. He’s always been a very good bowler,” Harbhajan added.
