IND vs AUS | Bowl hard, bowl fast, will be the mantra against Australia, reveals Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur, ahead of the T20 series against Sri Lanka, talked about the importance of bowling hard and fast in the limited-overs format. The Mumbaikar made his debut for the national team in the ODI series against the same opposition where he picked up only one wicket. Since then, however, Thakur has been in and out of the Indian side. 

With injuries to Deepak Chahar and Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Thakur got a stretched opportunity to play in Indian colours where he not only bowled well but also batted at a crucial juncture when the team required him to score the winning runs. In the recently concluded series against the Windies, it was Thakur who hit the winning runs for the home side, including two boundaries and a six during his short-stay in the crease. 

However, this time around, the right-hander will team up with the returning Jasprit Bumrah and Navdeep Saini. 

“I feel the ball is coming out of my hand really well. Whatever matches I play in, this is my mantra: ‘bowl hard, bowl fast’. You have to get ahead of the opponents, what they are thinking or not thinking and in what frame of mind the batsman has come out to bat,” said Thakur, reported Hindustan Times

Further, he explained how the tough opponents in the form of the visiting Finch’s side could give them a run for their money in January. He dwelled upon the fact that the bowlers need to bring their ‘A’ game into play if they want to win against Australia. 

“It is an ideal opportunity for all of us to show our A game because the stronger the opponent, the more you will get tested. I look at it as an opportunity. If they are getting tougher, how do we put our A game on the park? How do you bail out your team from a tough situation?”