Shardul gets very little credit for the way he bowls: Aakash Chopra
New Delhi (IANS). India’s batting unit impressed collectively to help the visitors to a massive 200-run win over West Indies and clinch the series 2-1 in the third and series-deciding ODI in Trinidad on Tuesday.
Openers Ishan Kishan (77 runs, 64 balls, 8×4, 3×6) and Shubman Gill (85 runs, 92 balls, 11×4) added 143 runs in just 19.4 overs. Stand-in captain Hardik Pandya (70 not out, 52 balls, 4×4, 5×6) and Sanju Samson (51 runs, 41 balls, 2×4, 4×6) helped India set the hosts a challenging target of 352 runs.
Thereafter, West Indies struggled to find rhythm and pacer Shardul Thakur took 4 for 37 in 6.3 overs, while Shai Hope’s men were bundled out for just 151 in 35.3 overs. Second pacer Mukesh Kumar took three wickets for 30 runs while spinner Kuldeep Yadav took two wickets for 25 runs.
GeoCinema expert Aakash Chopra was impressed with Thakur’s performance, saying, “Shardul took three wickets in the last match as well. He gets very limited credit for the way he bowls. I am trying to find out how he takes so many wickets and why he is expensive, both things go hand in hand.
Among Indian bowlers, Thakur has the most wickets in ODIs since the 2019 World Cup. He has taken 48 wickets in 32 matches played so far, which is two more than Kuldeep Yadav in the same number of matches. Chopra explained, “If you are taking three wickets, don’t worry too much about the economy as 300 will be the target. He doesn’t give away more than 6 runs per over, should be 6.1-6.2. The more balls he bowls, the more likely he is to get a wicket.
The former India opener further added, “We say it is wicket-taking luck, but if you look closely at Shardul, the reason for his wicket-taking luck is that he bowls in those areas and has I have a lot of faith. If you ever ask him how good are you? He would reply: ‘The equal of Dennis Lillee!’ That’s the confidence he has and I love him for that.”
