Shardul Thakur: The All-Round Performer Shaping Indian Cricket's Future

Even his detractors would concede that Shardul Thakur is capable of playing at his peak when things get tough, whether or not he is a member of the Indian team.

It was no coincidence that three years prior, at the Gabba in Brisbane, he had scored 67 during a pivotal 123-run seventh-wicket stand with Washington Sundar. A few months later, in The Oval Test against England, the seamer all-rounder produced counterattacking knocks of 57 and 60, without which India would have lost that match. In the World Test Championship final last year, Shardul amassed 51 runs and combined with Ajinkya Rahane for 109 runs at the seventh wicket in the match that was played at The Oval against Australia.

If Shardul hadn't hit 105 against Tamil Nadu in the semi-final, Mumbai could have had to wait until the following season to attempt to win their 42nd Ranji Trophy. Mumbai's predicament could have been much more difficult in the present final match against Vidarbha at the Wankhede if Shardul hadn't come up with a 69-ball 75.

Shardul is currently in Grade C of the BCCI's annual player contracts, therefore his future seems bright with these batsmanship achievements. The Australia tour, which is scheduled for later this year, is still a ways off. Indeed, one can still recall how brilliantly he performed at the Gabba the previous time. It goes without saying that Shardul's efforts in this Ranji will put him back in the running for a berth on Team India (in Test cricket). However, he does need to improve a little bit in his bowling, a BCCI official told The Telegraph on Monday.

Although Shardul is frequently unpredictable with the ball, he has helped Mumbai make some significant strides in 2017 Ranji. Is bowler Shardul also on the rise?

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