By Karan Agrawal 
India’s pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who was once an integral part of the Indian team, especially in test cricket, has fallen off the selectors’ radar since the 2023 ODI World Cup. Thakur hasn’t played a single international game since the World Cup, and with the emergence of Nitish Kumar Reddy, the all-rounder is not in the team’s plan for the upcoming overseas tours.
The Performance
Shardul who played an integral part in India’s come-from-behind series win against Australia in 2020 and memorable test wins against England in 2021 has been sweating it out in the Ranji Trophy to get back into the reckoning for a spot in the national team with strong performances with both bat and ball. The right-hander came to Mumbai’s rescue once again when the team was reduced to 47/7 while batting first against Jammu & Kashmir as he scored a quick-fire half-century, 51 runs to be precise of just 57 balls. Shardul’s counter-attacking innings took Mumbai to a respectable total of 120.
Player’s Corner
Talking about his ambitions of getting back into the Indian team Shardul said “What can I talk about my quality? Others should talk about it. They 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.”
The Reaction
Following his omission from the Indian team Shardul also went unsold in the IPL auction held in November last year. Reacting to the snub the fast-bowling all-rounder said “You have to forget whatever has happened in the past; it is not going to change. It is important to be in the present and think about what you can do in the near future.”