When You Perform In Australia, They Will Love You: Shardul Thakur Reveals What Ravi Shastri Said To Inspire Him

Indian seam-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur has revealed the motivational words he received from head coach Ravi Shastri before he went out to bat in the middle on the third day of the ongoing Gabba Test.

Thakur’s turn to bat had come at a time when Australia’s bowling had its tail up after Josh Hazlewood had claimed two crucial scalps in the form of Mayank Agarwal and Rishabh Pant post the Lunch break.

The Australians were on top and the home crowd was right behind them. It is at this point that Shardul Thakur remembered the motivational words of Ravi Shastri.

Shastri had told him if he can win over the Australian crowd with his performance and that is exactly what the Mumbai all-rounder did as he smashed the famed attack to the tune of 67 off 115 balls during a defiant 123-run-stand with debutant Washington Sundar.

“When I came to the middle, crowd was cheering Australian bowlers then I remembered what Ravi Shastri told, he said when you perform in Australia they will love you. That is the one which was in my mind and it will also help India,” Shardul Thakur revealed in the virtual press-conference.

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‘It is about giving 100 per cent for the team’- Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur also went on to reveal the tactics that he and Washington Sundar employed to counter the Australian attack on a Gabba track that was assisting true bounce. He also added that with the ongoing match being the series-decider, one did not need any further motivation to give 100 percent to the team.

“We were trying to defend a lot, as our partnership went on, we know there is some true bounce here at Gabba, we were just waiting for our chance, whenever there was a loose delivery, we were trying to put that away. It is a long tour, as a player, it is challenging to stay motivated and do well in the last game, the series is tied at this game turns out to be the series decider so you do not need extra motivation, it is about giving 100 per cent for the team.” he revealed

He also went on to reveal that the Australians were trying to get under his skin via sledging.

“Australian players were trying to have a conversation with me, but I was not replying. I just replied once or twice, there were a lot of normal questions, even if they were trying to sledge me, I did not hear it, I just played on,” he added.

Thakur and Sundar’s defiant 123-run-stand helped India lift themselves from the woods as they eventually ended up with the first innings score of 336, denying Australia with a hefty first innings lead.

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