Twitter Hails Shardul Thakur's Counter-Attacking Fifty At The Oval

Shardul Thakur’s celebration of his fifty – a roar, a swing of the bat, a straight bat pointing towards the dressing room – spoke what it meant to him – the high of reaching a landmark with the bat – which is his second skill.

The heart, the attitude, the commitment – it all defines Shardul Thakur, the cricketer as he hurled India to a respectable total on Day 1 of the Oval Test on Thursday after once again the batsmen above him disappointed.

The Palghar cricketer came in to bat at number 8, at the score of 117/6. He then saw Rishabh Pant fell to another reckless shot.

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Before England could make another inroad, with a lesser batter in Umesh Yadav at the other end, Shardul Thakur launched a counter-attack – reminiscing his superb fifty against Australia earlier in the year at The Gabba.

The right-hander took on England’s best bowler on the day, Chris Woakes, for a couple of boundaries, before hammering India’s first six of the innings to Craig Overton over mid-off. Thakur further frustrated Woakes, dispatching him for 3 more fours and another maximum.

He was given a life by wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow, when he was strangled down the leg side and gloved it behind, by Bairstow put it down. The Chennai Super Kings cricketer made use of that reprieve, smacking Ollie Robinson for a four and a six to bring up his fifty in just 31 balls.

Woakes, however, had the last laugh when he had Thakur lbw using a review.

Before this whirlwind knock by Shardul Thakur, Virat Kohli registered a fifty, but again failed to convert it into a century. As for the rest, nobody else could go past 20 as India were bowled out for 191, which would have been much lower if not for the number 8 batter’s contribution.

This innings by Thakur had Twitter ecstatic.

Twitter Hails Shardul Thakur’s Counter-Attacking Fifty At The Oval:

Really enjoyed watching Shardul bat. Yes, a hoick here and there but lots of excellent shots in between. Definitely making a case for a bowling all-rounder at no 8

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

I guess a bowler got Shardul out and not a commentator as is the popular perception! ??

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Then a No.10 Sachin Tendulkar used to excite everyone with his batting, now a new No.10 Shardul Thakur excites everyone with his batting.

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1433460845023952899

Shardul Thakur now has the fastest ever Test fifty in England (by balls).

31 – Shardul Thakur?? v ENG, today
32 – Ian Botham??????? v NZ, 1986
33 – Clifford Roach?️ v ENG, 1933
33 – Kapil Dev?? v ENG, 1982
33 – Harbhajan Singh?? v ENG, 2002
33 – Stuart Broad??????? v WI, 2020#<!---->E<!---->N<!---->G<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Innings Break#<!---->T<!---->e<!---->a<!---->m<!---->I<!---->n<!---->d<!---->i<!---->a have been bowled out for 191 (Virat 50, Shardul 57) in 61.3 overs after being asked to bat first in the fourth Test. Stay tuned as our bowlers will be in action soon.

Scorecard – h<!---->t<!---->t<!---->p<!---->s<!---->:<!---->/<!---->/<!---->t<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->/<!---->O<!---->O<!---->Z<!---->e<!---->b<!---->P<!---->n<!---->B<!---->Z<!---->U #<!---->E<!---->N<!---->G<!---->v<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->k<!---->w<!---->q<!---->6<!---->Q<!---->m<!---->a<!---->B<!---->X<!---->t

— BCCI (@BCCI) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Wowwwwww

Batting is definitely not as easy as Shardul Thakur is making it ought to be

Well played @<!---->i<!---->m<!---->S<!---->h<!---->a<!---->r<!---->d #<!---->l<!---->o<!---->r<!---->d<!---->t<!---->h<!---->a<!---->k<!---->u<!---->r p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->x<!---->2<!---->V<!---->H<!---->Q<!---->y<!---->c<!---->L<!---->X<!---->h

— DK (@DineshKarthik) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Shardul Thakur smashed the second-fastest fifty by an Indian in Test cricket.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

If Shardul Thakur's batting today had a face: p<!---->i<!---->c<!---->.<!---->t<!---->w<!---->i<!---->t<!---->t<!---->e<!---->r<!---->.<!---->c<!---->o<!---->m<!---->/<!---->M<!---->6<!---->i<!---->E<!---->P<!---->D<!---->a<!---->Y<!---->Z<!---->P

— Manya (@CSKian716) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

Fastest Test 50s for India

30b – Kapil Dev
31b – Shardul Thakur*
32b – Virender Sehwag#<!---->I<!---->N<!---->D<!---->v<!---->E<!---->N<!---->G

— CricBeat (@Cric_beat) S<!---->e<!---->p<!---->t<!---->e<!---->m<!---->b<!---->e<!---->r<!----> <!---->2<!---->,<!----> <!---->2<!---->0<!---->2<!---->1

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