Shardul Thakur had noticed a crack in the area from back off to good length and was trying to hit that area to get the ball back to the right hand. Thakur’s first five-wicket haul put India in pole position after the second day as they restricted South Africa’s first innings lead to just 27 and then ended the day at 85 for 2.
“When I started bowling, there was a length somewhere in those 22-yards from where the ball was kicking and staying a little short. So I just tried to hit that spot and hit that crack, added the fast bowler coming from Palghar area near Mumbai. The key was to hit the right areas as both the Centurion and Johannesburg tracks offered help for the fast bowlers.
India vs South Africa: full coverage , photos , the schedule , result
“Look at both the places, even when we played at Centurion and here at Wanderers in Joburg (Johannesburg), there was some help in the pitch, so all you had to do was keep working hard on the batsman and bowling Do it. Right place, that’s what I was trying to do,” Thakur said.
‘India still can’t be called favourite’
Thakur said that India still cannot be called a strong contender to win the match.
“If you look at the current match-situation, it is difficult. The lead we take from here and the bigger the target we set is good because as the game progresses and we all know it has not been that easy to bat on the pitch in the last two days.
“So, from our team’s point of view, the bigger the goal we set, and the longer the game, that’s good, because there’s a lot of time left in the game.”
Read also | The rise and rise of Shardul Thakur and how coach Dinesh Lad played a big role
‘The best is yet to come’
He may have done his best in all formats of red ball cricket with 7 for 61 against South Africa but the Mumbai pacer is confident that he can deliver his best. Shardul quipped, “This is my best figure, but the best is always to come, I would say.”
Indebted to Dinesh Laddu
He once again spoke about his childhood coach Dinesh Lad’s contribution to his development as a player. Shardul had stayed at Lad Niwas during his school days as it was difficult to travel every day from Palghar to Borivali.
“Yes, obviously he (Dinesh Lad) had a huge impact on my cricketing career and he is the second parent to me. He saw me when no one else did and he offered me admission to the school (Swami Vivekananda International) in Borivali and my life has changed since that time,” said his coach Dinesh Lad’s Shardul.
get all IPL news and cricket score Here
,