Shardul Thakur always had the fire to bat, says childhood coach

Dinesh Lad

India pacer Shardul Thakur (67, 9x4, 2x6) hit a six off Australia pacer Pat Cummins to score his first runs in Test cricket at Brisbane on Sunday. Not very long after his fourth ball-six, Mumbai lad Thakur reached his maiden fifty with a six; this time off Nathan Lyon, the celebrated off-spinner, who is playing his 100th Test.

Thakur's childhood coach Dinesh Lad was not surprised to see his ward showcasing his batting skills in Brisbane. "Shardul played like a top-order batsman; all were cricketing shots. It is amazing the way he batted fearlessly along with Washington Sundar in difficult situations and helped India bounce back. I feel very proud," Lad told mid-day.

First meeting
Lad, who is coach at Swami Vivekanand International School [SVIS] Borivli, recalled his first meeting with Thakur, when he was just 15. "I saw Shardul for the first time when he played against our school. He scored 78 and took five wickets for Tarapur Vidya Mandir, Boisar in the Pepsi Cup. I immediately told his father to shift Shardul to SVIS considering his talent. He was staying 11 kms away from Palghar and was hesitant to shift to Borivli. But I forced them (Mr and Mrs Thakur) to allow Shardul to stay at my home for a year," Lad recalled.

Recalling six sixes in an over
In 2006, while representing SVIS in the Plate Division of the Harris Shield against Dr S Radhakrishnan, Borivli, Thakur hammered left-arm spinner Vishal Dhruv for six sixes in an over during his 73-ball 160 knock. "Shardul always had that fire for batting, but pace and swing bowling was his forte, so I suggested him to concentrate on bowling," explained Lad, who was equally satisfied with Thakur's bowling performance (3-94).