Shardul Thakur relives 2021 Oval heroics ahead of England series

Shardul Thakur carries vivid memories of India’s 2021 tour of England, a series where he emerged as one of the unexpected heroes. Now, as he gears up for another battle in the English summer, those performances remain etched in his memory, particularly his all-round brilliance at the Kennington Oval, which helped India script a famous 157-run win.

Back in the squad for the current series, Thakur reflected on what made that tour so unforgettable. “I think the 2021 series, where we won a couple of games, the first one we could have won too, but unfortunately it rained on the last day and we couldn`t chase down the total. Then we won at Lord`s, followed by the Oval. Later, we returned for the fifth Test next year, and the series ended 2-2. That series remains one of the fondest memories of my career, definitely one of the best I`ve been a part of,” he said.

At The Oval, Thakur delivered under pressure, first rescuing India with a blistering 57 off just 36 balls in the first innings when the visitors were struggling. His aggressive knock turned the tide and gave India much-needed momentum. He followed it up with another impactful 60 from 72 balls in the second innings, showcasing not just resilience but intent. Adding to his heroics with the bat, Thakur claimed two crucial wickets during England’s fourth-innings chase, including that of Joe Root, the then-captain and batting mainstay.

India’s emphatic Oval win gave them a 2-1 lead, but the final Test, scheduled in Manchester, was postponed due to a COVID-19 outbreak in the Indian camp. When the teams reconvened in 2022 to complete the series, England clinched the rescheduled Test, resulting in a 2-2 series draw.

Speaking about the unique demands of playing in England, Thakur emphasised the constant battle with the elements.

“It`s always exciting to play in this part of the world. The biggest challenge is the weather, sometimes it`s cloudy, sometimes bright and sunny, and you need to adjust your game quickly, whether you`re batting or bowling,” he explained.

India squad: Shubman Gill (c), Rishabh Pant (vc, wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudarshan, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Karun Nair, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Akash Deep, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav

This article first appeared on Mid Day