Shardul Thakur sends bold 'quality' message to Ajit Agarkar, Gautam Gambhir over India snub

Out-of-favour India pacer Shardul Thakur made a strong statement to the Ajit Agarkar-led selection committee following his all-round performance for Mumbai. Shardul Thakur, who was overlooked for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 series, said that his quality should be judged by others.

Mumbai was struggling at 47/7 despite a star-studded lineup that included India captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal during their Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir. However, Shardul Thakur came to the rescue of the team at the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai on Thursday.

I See Tough Situations as a Challenge - Shardul Thakur

Speaking to reporters after Day 1 of the Ranji Trophy match, Shardul Thakur said that his recent performances in red-ball cricket came in "adverse conditions." He stated that it’s up to others to assess his quality and added that players should be considered for selection if they possess "quality."

"What can I talk 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 put up the show in adverse situations matters. I see tough situations as a challenge and always think about how to overcome that challenge," Thakur said.

Thakur played a gritty knock of 51 off 57 balls, including five fours and two sixes, helping Mumbai to reach a total of 120. He had smashed his maiden First-Class century in a semifinal against Tamil Nadu the previous season at the same venue. He scored a match-changing knock of 109 in Mumbai's dominant win.

It Is Important to Be in the Present - Shardul Thakur

The star pacer also went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. He emphasized the importance of moving forward despite these setbacks. Thakur stated that dwelling on the past would not change anything, adding that he focused on staying present and looking ahead.

“You have to forget whatever has happened in the past; it is not going to change. It is important to be in the present and think about what you can do in the near future,” Thakur said.

He Is Always Passionate About Mumbai Cricket - Shardul Thakur

The 33-year-old came to the defense of his Mumbai teammate, captain Rohit Sharma, who struggled in his Ranji Trophy comeback. Thakur said that Rohit is always passionate about Mumbai cricket.

“He is always passionate about Mumbai cricket. Any Mumbaikar, the way we have seen hardships growing up as teenagers playing Maidan cricket, everyone is so passionate about Mumbai cricket that even if they're playing for India, they follow what (the) Mumbai team is doing," Thakur said.

Rohit Sharma returned to the Ranji Trophy for the first time since November 2015. He opened the batting with Yashasvi Jaiswal but was dismissed for just three runs off 19 balls. By the end of the first day’s play, Jammu and Kashmir had a 54-run lead with three wickets remaining in their first innings.

Also read: Watch: Glenn Maxwell silences Sydney crowd with Virat Kohli-esque gesture in BBL 2024-25 knockout