Team India captain Virat Kohli posted a photo of himself with Shardul Thakur on Monday, along with a message congratulating him on his victory. The teenager was crucial in the game as India needed 30 odd runs in the final three overs after Kohli exited for 85 runs in the 47th over, putting the onus on Shardul and Ravindra Jadeja. The duo did not disappoint, as it was Shardul who relieved the strain by striking a four and then a six to complete the run chase with eight balls to spare.
Virat Kohli went on to praise the two batters in the post-match ceremony, admitting he was worried near the finish following his dismissal. “It’s great to see Shardul and Jaddu finish the game, but these men finishing the game is a far greater deal.” “I had a frightened expression on my face as I walked back, but when I glanced at Jaddu, he seemed extremely confident,” he explained. On Monday morning, he sent Shardul a witty tweet that said, “Tula maanla re Thakur,” which translates to “Maan gaye tujhe Thakur” (Hats off to you Thakur).
Shardul scored 17 runs off 6 balls in the match, while Jadeja scored 39 runs off 31 deliveries. As nerves began to rise in the locker room, the duo handled the run pursuit with grace and elegance.
Shardul said reporters after the game, “I’d be under pressure if I thought about Kohli leaving. The key point, though, was that there was a designated batsman. The goal was to meet the ball. It was one of those days when I was able to connect properly, and happily it worked.” Shardul Thakur has been outstanding with the bat and can easily provide 20-25 runs if required. In the Indian Premier League, he has shown promise for the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians (IPL).