Indian bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur once again proved his mettle with the bat by playing a sensational innings in the final of the Ranji Trophy 2023-24. The summit clash of the elite tournament will be played between Mumbai and Vidarbha at the Wankhede Stadium.
Mumbai won the toss and were in deep trouble as they lost the first few wickets. Prithvi Shaw (46) played a decent hand at the top but no one moved on after that. The 41-time Ranji Trophy winners were battling at 111/6 with all the big boys in the cabin.
With the team falling in the grand final, it was Shardul Thakur, who once again stood tall for his team and made sure to play another brave hand. The all-rounder batted with positive intent and made sure to absorb all the pressure and get his team out of trouble.
Shardul Thakur continued his golden touch with the bat as he played with complete control and made sure to take his team to the competitive total. He added vital partnerships with lower order batsmen and ensured that Mumbai got the much-desired momentum.
Shardul Thakur first added 43 runs with Shams Mulani (13) and then added 22 runs with Tanush Kotian (8). He before him added 42 runs with Tushar Deshpande (14). He ensured that, along with the support of others, he took Mumbai past a total of 200 runs, which at the moment did not seem possible.
Shardul Thakur made his half-century in just 37 balls and made many stand up and applaud him. He played an attacking innings that made the Vidarbha bowlers think a lot. When he completed half a century, he made the entire Mumbai dressing room applaud him for his heroism.
Shardul Thakur finished with 75 innings off 69 balls. He batted with a strike rate of over 108 and also hit 8 fours and 3 sixes in his innings. His knock propelled Mumbai to a total of 223 runs and gave the players something to fight with.
Shardul Thakur also came as Mumbai’s savior in the semi-final against Tamil Nadu. He got Mumbai out of trouble as they were left reeling at 106/7. He scored 109 runs in 105 balls. He hit 13 fours and 4 sixes in his innings.
Shardul Thakur takes Mumbai off the wheel with the ball
After his heroics with the bat, Shardul Thakur made sure to take his team out of the shuttle with the ball. He opened the attack for Mumbai with the ball and was quick to make an impact as he removed Vidarbha opener Dhruv Shorey for a three-ball duck.
Shardul Thakur bowled a length ball that was formed from outside off. The batsman leaned forward to counter him, but he was hit on the inside edge. The ball hit him on the front pad. The umpire did not rule it out but captain Ajinkya Rahane opted for DRS and the ball tracker showed three reds.
Shardul Thakur would hope to contribute more wickets for the team and help them be in a dominant position and win the title for the 42nd time.