Shardul Thakur feels he was under-utilised in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy in England last year and is ready to give his best for the country if an opportunity came his way again.
The captain of Mumbai across formats, Thakur remarked, \”I 100 per cent desire to play for India again. At the back of my mind, it\’s always there. Even if you\’re dropped or discarded, I think hope is a very strong word. As long as hope is alive, everything is possible.\”
Thakur (34) has played 13 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is for India, with his last international appearance coming during India\’s five-Test tour of England about 12 months ago.
He featured in the first Test in Leeds and the fourth Test at Old Trafford, producing a mixed bag of hit-and-miss performances – sporadically impressive but also patchy at times. India lost at Leeds and drew at Old Trafford, with the five-match series ending in a 2-2 draw.
With bat, he scored 1, 4, 41 and DNB in the two Tests. With the ball, he had provided a couple of breakthroughs at Leeds and went wicketless in Manchester. But the all-rounder that he is, Thakur got to bowl only 27 overs across the two Tests.
Looking back at the series, he felt he could have contributed more. \”It\’s very hard to comment on why I may have missed out on a few selections. But after the 2024-25 season, the kind of season I had, I think I could have played a few more games and literally made a difference.
\”When I played in England, I don\’t think I was utilised properly. In batting, yes, it was my mistake that I played a loose shot in Leeds. But in Manchester, I batted beautifully, I would say, because it was overcast, the ball was swinging, and there was one length from where the ball was hardly bouncing. I survived that spell and India still put up a very, very strong total in the first innings. Then the pitch became flat and we were also able to save the game.
\”So it\’s not that I didn\’t make any contribution when I last played for India. But yes, I think I deserved a few more opportunities. I would say it was more about being under-bowled and being used in the wrong phases. There were some calculation errors, I would say,\” he said, adding, \”Hope is still alive. If, in the near future, they ever ask me to play for India again, I\’ll be ready.
\”Playing for India is a dream – everyone\’s dream. Even during my previous stints with the Indian team, there were a handful of games where I made an impact and literally won matches for the team. So, even in the near future, or whenever I make a comeback, I\’m still willing to contribute as much as I can (both in red ball and white ball cricket).\”
\’Ranji Trophy is World Cup for us\’
Thakur was speaking at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) event where the association launched its new domestic season on Tuesday. MCA president Ajinkya Naik said Mumbai treats Ranji Trophy as the World Cup. \”See, for us, the Ranji Trophy is the World Cup,\” said Naik.
\”The main purpose of our cricketing activities is twofold: first, to win the championships; and second, to produce the maximum number of India players from Mumbai.\”
The MCA has appointed Sandeep Patil as an advisor to all its teams across age groups and announced that the theme for the upcoming season is \’FOCUS.\’ Mumbai are a powerhouse in domestic cricket, having won the Ranji Trophy a record 42 times.