India finished Day 2 of the second Test against South Africa with a lead of 58 runs as Shardul Thakur's seven-wicket haul bundled out the hosts for 229 in reply to the visitors 202.
Shardul Thakur has come a long way but his childhood coach Dinesh Lad says he never really had to do anything special to mould the driven all-rounder except for 'working on his mental strength'.
Thakur has been preferred by the Indian team management ahead of Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav because of his superior batting skills.
Dhoni's successful 'CSK template' is likely to be continued as the Indian team management has more or less made up its mind to play the same eleven against New Zealand in the 'do or die' match.
India begin their ICC T20 World Cup campaign against arch-rivals Pakistan on October 24.
It was Dhoni who had asked Thakur to move his grip down a bit so that he gets better control of his shots, while the team management allowed him extra sessions with throw-down specialists.
Oval Test hero Shardul Thakur revealed his conversation with Sam Curran ahead of the final day of the Oval Test, where India defeated England by 157 runs.
Shardul hit two half-centuries (57 and 60) as he helped his team in both innings, not only with the bat but also with the ball.
Shardul hit his second Test half-century off 31 balls and beat Ian Botham's 35-year-old record as he helped India's total attain a semblance of respectability.
Skipper Virat Kohli made 50 off 96 balls while Shardul saved India the blushes with a sensational 57 off 36 balls, taking the team's first innings total close to 200 in the third session.
Shardul showcased another facet of his batting with some textbook drives and lion-hearted sixes.
Ravichandran Ashwin remains absent from the India XI in the fourth Test at Oval.
Thakur, who played the first Test at Trent Bridge at the start of the month, suffered a hamstring injury and had to be ruled out.
Virat Kohli again indicated that the template for the first Test is what he wants to follow in the second match as well.
Captain Kohli might have to seriously consider playing Ashwin while expecting a far better show from the seasoned batting line-up when India meet England in the second Test at the Lord's starting Thursday.
Asked, who among bowlers is the best bet with the willow and may be fill-up for Hardik Pandya's absence, Rahane named fellow Mumbaikar Thakur
Arun feels Thakur has what it takes to be the fast-bowling all-rounder that the team has needed ever since Hardik Pandya's back injury restricted his role with the ball.
Shardul, who bowled the final over, said that stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma wanted him to back his plans and try to execute them.
Indian captain Virat Kohli wasn't pleased with Shardul Thakur for his lazy fielding effort during the 3rd T20I against England.
Umesh had limped off with a calf injury during the second Test against Australia in December and was ruled out of the Test series and the first two Tests against England.
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