File photo of Shardul Thakur.
India's historic win at the iconic GABBA will be etched in Indian players' and fans' memory forever. Beating Australia at their bastion for the first time in 32 years does call for memorable celebrations. Such has been the impact of the win that Rishabh Pant, who was struggling to find his feet in the Indian team, has now become the toast of the nation and an apt replacement to legendary MS Dhoni.
However, this winning had many heroes and one of them certainly includes debutant Shardul Thakur, who not only chipped in with seven wickets in the game but also scored a valuable 67 of his maiden Test knock in a 128-run seventh-wicket partnership with fellow debutant Washington Sundar.
The test match, however, was a closer affair than many thought of it as coming into bat again with a 33-run lead, Australia looked eager to put runs on board as Marcus Harris and David Warner added 89 runs for the opening wicket.
However, before they could take the match away from India, Shardul provided a breakthrough to India as he removed Harris with a bouncer. This shifted momentum in India's favour as the Aussies never managed any bigger stand than this in the entire innings before getting bundled out for 294 to set a target of 328 runs.
Recalling the Harris wicket, Shardul accepted that the wicket was crucial as they were running out of ideas before the partnership was ended by him.
"We were expecting them to come hard at us and they did. They got a really good start. The day ended with six overs and the next day we came in fresh. Even then they started hitting, so their plan was clear -- to score runs quickly and set up big target," Shardul told Sports Today.
"But at that point of time as bowler, I felt that if I take a wicket here, maybe, the new batsman would not score at the same rate. The whole idea was to get that one ball and get anyone of them out. If I remember my spell I had bowled many good length deliveries to Marcus Harris, maybe I thought it's time to bowl him a bouncer.
"I tried and he got out. After that our bowlers got hopeful, they got energetic and excited and the game started changing a bit again."
