The fourth Test between India and England is underway in Manchester. After India posted 358 in their first innings, England countered with their typical Bazball aggression. The hosts raced to 225/2 in just 46 overs by stumps on Day 1, scoring at nearly five runs per over.
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On Day 2, Indian pacer Shardul Thakur bore the brunt of England’s attacking play, especially from Ben Duckett. Thakur conceded 35 runs in just five overs (7 RPO) and was visibly under pressure as the England openers kept the scoreboard ticking.
However, an interview before Day 3's play from Thakur caught the attention of Indian commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, who took a subtle dig at the Indian pacer's comments.
What did Shardul Thakur say about India's missed chances on Day 2?
In an interview to JioHotstar, Thakur reflected on Duckett and England's dominant batting performance.
"He [Duckett] kept attacking. As a bowling unit, it was an attempt to stop him. But he was able to score in every over. Even if we bowled a good over, he would score through edges or inside edges," Thakur said. "It was a game of risk versus reward. He got the rewards yesterday. Maybe today the rewards would’ve come our way.”
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Thakur further mentioned how Duckett continued to take risks, which reaped him rewards. The England batter survived early on after Indian wicket-keeper Dhruv Jurel couldn't latch on to a tough catch off debutant Anshul Kamboj's bowling.
"He took a lot of risks. It was a game of risk versus reward. He got rewards yesterday. It's possible that if he took a lot of risks today, he would have given us rewards."
While Kamboj went to pick up Duckett's wicket on 94 runs, the damage was already done by then.
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What did Sanjay Manjrekar say about Shardul Thakur?
Reacting to Thakur’s remarks, Manjrekar questioned the pacer’s optimism considering India’s tough situation in the match. The former Indian cricketer felt that Thakur had overachieved at the international level, saying:
"He must run a class for, you know, optimism...And for this reason, I believe Shardul Thakur has really overachieved at the international level...This is a guy who's got a seven-wicket haul in test match cricket."
"When I saw him trying to break into the Mumbai team, who would have thought? And this is the reason why," he added.
Thakur has played 12 matches in his Test career for India, taking 36 wickets at an average of 29. He has also played impactful knocks with the bat lower down the order, including four fifties, two of which came in the last England red-ball tour.
Manjrekar further said that Shardul excellently defended himself and used optimism to hide his mistakes with the ball on Day 2.
"You know, it was an excellent interview where he's holding himself not responsible at all for what happened...maybe. The captain Gill could hand the ball to him when everything looks flat," added Manjrekar
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While Gill did give Thakur the ball to start proceedings in the morning session on Day 3, India failed to make any breakthroughs. It was only after Lunch and a 144-run partnership between Ollie Pope and Joe Root that Washington Sundar scalped Pope's wicket.
However, India are well behind in the fourth Test and could be staring at yet another series defeat on English soil if they fail to pick up wickets .