Ranji Trophy: Shardul Thakur shines with bat and ball while star-studded Mumbai team falters
Shardul Thakur starred for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, rescuing his team twice with a gritty 51 and an unbeaten 113. As Mumbai's top order crumbled, 'Lord' Thakur delivered with both bat and ball, also taking two wickets in 15.3 overs.
At the Sharad Pawar Academy at BKC, one man stood tall, rescuing Mumbai twice in a span of two days¡ªShardul Thakur. Mumbai was struggling when Thakur came in to bat against Jammu and Kashmir in the ongoing Ranji Trophy and managed to rescue his team from a dire situation as their top order collapsed. He scored 51 runs off 57 balls in the first innings, which included five boundaries and two sixes, helping his side reach a total of 120 all out.
The story repeated in the second innings, as the star-studded top order once again failed to perform, leaving Thakur to do all the heavy lifting. He remained unbeaten on 113 off 119 balls, smashing 17 fours and helping Mumbai reach 274 for 7 by stumps on Day 2.
Stumps on Day 2!
¡ª BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 24, 2025
Another action-packed day!
J & K took an 86-run lead. Mumbai fought back from 101/7 to end the Day 2 on 274/7.
Shardul Thakur (113*) & Tanush Kotian (58*) put on an unbeaten 173-run stand.
Scorecard ?? https://t.co/oYXDhqotjO#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/gecECtixPC
Team Mumbai falters
While his performance was the highlight of the match, Indian captain Rohit Sharma, making his first Ranji appearance in a decade, had a disappointing return, dismissed for just three runs in the first innings and 28 off 35 in the second. Yashasvi Jaiswal (4 and 26), skipper Ajinkya Rahane (12 and 16), Shreyas Iyer (11 and 17), and Shivam Dube (0 and 0) all departed cheaply.
'Lord' Shardul Thakur shines
After reaching his scintillating, hard-fought 105-ball century, Thakur sprinted toward the Mumbai dressing room, spreading his arms, blowing kisses, and pointing toward the crowd, which erupted in applause for his second first-class hundred. Even Jammu & Kashmir's veteran captain, Paras Dogra, recognised the brilliance of his innings.
Called 'Lord' Thakur, his impact wasn't limited to his batting¡ªhe also made his presence felt with the ball, claiming two wickets in his 15.3 overs.
Terrific rescue act ?
¡ª BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) January 24, 2025
Shardul Thakur arrived at the crease at 91/6 and hit a splendid unbeaten 113*(119) to take Mumbai to 274/7 on Day 2. ??
Watch his cracking knock ??
Link - https://t.co/iGNHQNIUHa#RanjiTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/bCwUlbqk2i
Shardul Thakur's Team India future
The past year has been anything but smooth for Shardul Thakur. With Indian selectors seemingly moving past the 33-year-old in red-ball cricket, his future has remained uncertain. A slow recovery from ankle surgery, combined with going unsold at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction last November, painted the picture of a cricketer slipping into the background of Indian cricket.
Despite his gritty fifty in tough conditions on Day 1, Thakur remained reserved when speaking to the media, unwilling to hype his own performance. While speaking to the media, he said, "What can I say about my quality? Others should talk about it. They should see that if someone has quality, he should be given more chances. I like batting in difficult situations. In easy situations, everyone does well. But how you perform in adversity is what matters. I see tough situations as a challenge and always think about how to overcome them".
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