IND v SA: Shardul Thakur Reveals How He Got The Nickname Of ‘Lord’

India pacer bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur was the toast of the ongoing second Test match against South Africa at the Wanderers, Johannesburg after picking a career-best 7/61 helping India keep the hosts’ lead to 27 runs, bowling them out for 229 runs. This led to social media trending ‘Lord Shardul’ and the pacer revealed how he got the moniker.

On Day 2 of the second Test match against South Africa in Johannesburg, Shardul claimed his maiden five-wicket haul and in the process also registered the best figures by an Indian against South Africa to bring his side back in the contest. India had made 202 runs with KL Rahul, the stand-in captain top-scoring with 50 runs.

For South Africa, Keegan Petersen and Temba Bavuma made half-centuries while three batters Kyle Verreynne, Marco Jansen, and Keshav Maharaj made an identical score of 21 runs. While Shardul Thakur picked 7/61, Mohammed Shami picked 2/52 runs and Jasprit Bumrah accounted for one wicket.

Don’t Know Who Started Calling Me Lord. But I’m Sure It Started In A Home Series Against England: Shardul Thakur

After the South African batting innings was completed, Lord Shardul Thakur began trending on social media as memes and funny messages celebrated his record seven-wicket haul. However, when asked about where did the moniker ‘Lord’ originated, the Mumbaikar himself wasn’t so sure.

“Seriously don’t know who started calling me Lord. But I’m sure it started in a home series against England after we returned from Australia… Just before the IPL. It was a series, where I got a lot of success and mostly after I got two consecutive wickets in an over… From there the name arrived,” Shardul Thakur told India bowling coach Paras Mhambrey in a video shared by BCCI on their Twitter.

Shardul also shared his “success mantra” to coach Mhambrey.

“When I enter the ground, everything is about self-belief and confidence for me. I go in with full confidence. It’s a simple and small mantra for my success and I would like to continue with that. I was just trying to put the ball in the right spot. The wicket was doing a bit and God willing I got a seven-for. Very happy to have contributed for the team,” he said.

Meanwhile, India ended day two on 85 for 2 in their second innings, leading the hosts by 58 runs.

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