Follow UsThe Ranji Trophy clash between Mumbai and Jammu & Kashmir has already seen a lot of action on field, with the hosts Mumbai being bundled out for just 120.
However, the situation would have been worse had Shardul Thakur not come to their rescue with the bat with a 57-ball 51 with five fours and two sixes to take his team from 47/7 to 120. This isn’t the first time that Shardul has saved Mumbai from a dangerous position.
In the previous Ranji season, he scored his maiden ton in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu after playing another rescue act of an innings. In the same counterattacking style he showed today, he had smashed 109 in just 105 deliveries. Mumbai won the game by an innings and 70 runs and went on to win the title.
However, despite repeatedly proving his quality at the domestic level, he has failed to impress the Indian selectors and make his return to the Test side.
“What can I talk about my quality? Others should talk about it,” Thakur remarked after Day 1.
“They [selectors] should see that if someone has quality, he should be given more chances. I like batting in difficult situations. In easy situations, everyone does well, but how you put up the show in adverse situations matters. I see tough situations as a challenge and always think about how to overcome that challenge.”
Not only that, he also defended India skipper Rohit Sharma, who is going through a bad run of form.
“He is always passionate about Mumbai cricket,” Shardul said on Rohit.
“Any Mumbaikar, the way we have seen hardships growing up as teenagers playing maidaan cricket, everyone is so passionate about Mumbai cricket that even if they’re playing for India, they follow what [the] Mumbai team is doing. When they come back here, they play as if they are part of this team, and they play all [their] heart out.”
Jammu & Kashmir are 174/7 at the end of Day 1 in reply to Mumbai's 120.