On Monday, the second day of the Boxing Day Test was washed out due to continuous rain. Thakur and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin featured in an interaction in the video shared on bcci.tv. Asked how he manages to make an impact under tough circumstances, the all-rounder explained, “Like everyone, I do like to plan my game as well in terms of bowling and batting. I like to see the videos of the batsmen. But when I enter the ground, everything is about confidence and self-belief for me."
Thakur further explained, “for example, in white-ball cricket, you think of bowling a yorker. To bowl that, I go in with full confidence and I play to win. So that’s one thing that stands out for me as a player. I like the players who love to win the game for their teams."
Shardul’s solid lower-order batting has been a hallmark of his overseas Test performances. He has also contributed with his smart pace bowling. Hoping to continue the good work, the 30-year-old added, “I am looking forward to it. Two overseas tours have been successful for us as a team. To contribute in SA conditions, would be more than happy.”
The cricketer also opened up about his recent engagement. Revealing he was waiting for a window to get engaged, Shardul said, “I was planning it for a long time. But with busy schedule with cricket, we’ve been travelling for the last 15 months. I didn’t have a window to get engaged. Luckily I got a break offered by BCCI and thought this is the right time to move in my life. With cricket, personal life is important too.”
--By A Cricket Correspondent