07 March,2017 11:08 AM IST | | Subodh Mayure
Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur, who has been roped in by Pune Supergiants for forthcoming IPL season, is eager to prove himself in the shorter format
Mumbai's bowling spearhead Shardul Thakur is eager to prove that he can be an effective bowler in the shorter format of the game. The 25-year-old pacer, who was part of Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) last year, was bought by Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) yesterday ahead of the upcoming Season 10.
Thakur's addition strengthens the Supergiants' seam bowling cluster, which includes Ashok Dinda, Deepak Chahar, Ishwar Pandey, Jaskaran Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Rajat Bhatia and Rahul Tripathi.
'IPL is important too'
Asked about if he saw a place in the Pune side as an opportunity to impress the national selectors, Thakur said: "I think the IPL is a very important tournament. I want to perform well in this league. People say that I am good for Test matches, but I want to prove that I can also bowl tight lines in T20s as well," Thakur told mid-day over the phone from Chennai.
The Palghar resident played only one match for KXIP in 2015, conceding 38 runs for a wicket in three overs against Delhi Daredevils. Now being part of the RPS dressing room, Thakur will get a chance to mingle with players such as former India skipper MS Dhoni, Australia Test captain Steven Smith, England all-rounder Ben Stokes among other international players. However, he is keen to learn the tricks of the trade from Dhoni. "During practice sessions I would like to ask him a few things and want to learn form his huge experience. If I get an opportunity to play a match, which will be a big experience, I will be able to share my ideas and seek his suggestions on how to bowl during specific situations. That will be a good advantage," Thakur, who got 169 wickets in 49 first-class matches, said.
The pacer, who has scalped 16 wickets in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy one-day tournament, credited his performance to pre-match mental preparation. "We hardly get a chance to practice for this tournament. However, I prepare myself by envisioning good aspects of my bowling. I visualise how I will bowl a tight line in the opening spell and what would be my strategy in the middle and death overs. I think this planning has worked a lot for me during this tournament," he said.
All-round ability
Thakur has been a strong contributor with the bat as well. He has scored over a thousand runs in the Ranji Trophy season. Besides his bowling, he also wants to display his all-round skills. "If I get the opportunity I would like to play as an all-rounder. It also depends on how I bat during our net sessions, but I would definitely try to win matches for my team," he added.
