When the Indian Cricket Team was announced for the West Indies tour, everyone was particularly satisfied with the selections made by the committee as all the senior players who were rested for the Zimbabwe tour were back but one name raised many eye brows and that was the name of Shardul Thakur.
A youngster relatively unknown on the Indian scene as there were many fast bowlers who impressed everyone with their IPL stints but the selection committee also considered Ranji Trophy as the basis of selection and hence the name of the “Palghari Express” was far from being Ignored.
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Ranji Success and Struggle
Though Shardul was incredibly successful in the Ranji season a year before and was also the joint top Wicket taker along with the experienced Vinay Kumar but that was not always the case for Right arm fast bowler in his initial days as he struggled a lot and forged his way to the very top by being part of the Indian team. Shardul started his Ranji career with a season to forget as he was hardly able to trouble any batsman and ended the campaign with only four appearances where he picked up only four wickets.
The story of Shardul Thakur was far from being over as he worked out his way to return to the Mumbai team and cemented his position with 27 wickets but that was just the begging of something special as he tormented the batsman’s in his next season where he picked up a mammoth 48 wickets followed by another good season with 40+ wickets.
Forging his way out
Things were not easier at all for the Mumbai ace as he practiced hard and worked on his physique too as he was labeled as “oversized” to start a stirring comeback which also compelled IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab to pick him up but the hard way out followed him there too as he was majorly the bench warmer for the team.
Slim chances on the West Indies Tour
Shardul Thakur hard work was recognized finally as he was picked for the senior national team but with so much bowler marking their comeback in the series is bound to make life more harder for the Mumbai ace but who knows he somehow manages his way out form here too.
