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India all-rounder Shardul Thakur starred with the ball during Mumbai’s ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024-25 quarterfinal clash against Haryana, underway at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Thakur picked a six-wicket haul to get his tally to 30 wickets this season as Mumbai secured a considerable lead of 353 runs in the ongoing match.
With this, Thakur continued his sensational form in domestic cricket tournament, thus eying a return in the Indian team. Speaking after picking a six-wicket haul, the Indian all-rounder spoke of making a comeback in the national setup. Addressing the press after Day 3 of the Ranji trophy quarterfinal, Thakur said that he aims to play for India again.
The next step is to make my place in the team and earn selection: Shardul Thakur
Speaking at the post-day press conference, Shardul Thakur said that playing for India is his ultimate goal at the moment. "Yes, absolutely. I believe I'm in contention. The next step is to make my place in the team and earn selection. That's always the goal," he said. "Right now, I'm playing at the Ranji Trophy level. International cricket is the highest level we all strive for. It's always on my mind; it's the motivation to play for the country that drives me forward. That passion, that fire, never fades," Thakur continued.
The 33-year-old, who was snubbed of a contract for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after being released from the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad, also added that he was open to playing the County Cricket Championship in order to mark his return in the Indian side. "If I get an offer, I'll definitely play. It would be a great new experience. Right now, there are no concrete plans, but county cricket has 6-7 matches around that time. If selected, it will help me adjust to English conditions before the (England) tour," he said.
The Mumbai all-rounder has been a crisis man for the state team this season in the Ranji Trophy 2024-25. After the Mumbai team found themselves in a state of collapse, it has been Shardul Thakur who have saved them on multiple occasions. In Mumbai’s shocking defeat against Jammu and Kashmir in January, Shardul Thakur hit 51 and 119 in the two innings. He then scored 84 with the bat against Meghalaya, where he also picked eight wickets.
