Shardul Thakur is yet to get a game for India despite receiving his maiden call-up more than a year ago but the Mumbai pacer says he has been patiently preparing himself for the big moment all this while.
Thakur could be in line to make his international debut on Thursday when India take on Sri Lanka in the fourth ODI here. Skipper Virat Kohli had promised rotation of players and Thakur could benefit from this move if India opts to rest Bhuvneshwar Kumar or Jasprit Bumrah.
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"Over the past few years I have been working hard. Whenever I get a chance to play I should be ready. Keeping that in mind I always prepare for the game. Whether they play me or not that's the management's role. But if you ask me personally I just have to be ready for the game whenever I get the opportunity and I prepare accordingly," Thakur said on Wednesday.
Thakur has been part of the Indian set-up since 2016 under Anil Kumble when he toured the West Indies. He has been waiting in the wings for his chance, but the call-up for the playing XI didn’t arrive until now.
‘Different pressure’
Now, he is working closely with bowling coach Bharat Arun. "When I first met him it was the Under-19 camp at the NCA. It was more of a technical camp where players perform when you go to the academy, work on your technique and get better. It's only my first assignment with him in the (Indian) team and so far it's been good. It's more of match-oriented things [that I discuss with him]," said Thakur.
"I feel whenever you move one level up - from domestic you go on to play IPL and from IPL you get selected to international cricket - the skill is always there. But you have got to prepare really well mentally because in international cricket the pressure is different and the pressure is different in domestic cricket," he added.
Thakur was included in the squad for the various home Test series as well, but was released to play in domestic cricket. He then featured in the IPL for Rising Pune Supergiants. "It’s not that difficult (to change formats) if you have practised enough. It’s just recollecting whatever you have practised. In white-ball cricket, you’ll need to use a lot of variations when needed whereas in red-ball cricket you just stick to your plans again and again.
Need to evolve
"I feel, if you have the skills, you can play in any format of the game. It's just about your preparations and how you cope with the different challenges of Test cricket, ODI cricket, and T20Is. If you ask me, you have to evolve every time there is a change in the format," he said.
MS Dhoni will be playing his 300th ODI on Thursday. Thakur played with him during the IPL and recalled his various experiences. "I have always asked about his experiences. He always gave me his piece of mind when I asked him. Obviously, he’s the wicket-keeper of the team so he has seen a lot of bowlers bowling from the other end, and very closely, like what do they do in a particular situation. "Playing with him in the IPL was a great boost because in the match itself, I learnt a lot from him like when to use cross-seam deliveries and when to bowl seam-ups. So whenever I have felt like finding out things about a particular situation, I have gone to him," Thakur signed off.
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