‘Never seen anything like it’ – Shardul Thakur's bizarre arm-precaution leaves Ricky Ponting amused in WTC Final

The commentary panel of Ricky Ponting and Murali Karthik were left stunned by Shardul Thakur’s bizarre precaution after copping repeated blows to his right arm during the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 final against Australia at The Oval in London. In the midst of the second innings, Ajinkya Rahane, Srikar Bharat, and Thakur endured massive body blows while being up against the fiery Aussie pacers. Likewise, rival skipper Pat Cummins maintained his razor-sharp line and length and in the process, a few of his short-pitched deliveries struck Thakur’s right forearm.

After enduring the repeated blows, Thakur, who was seemingly in pain, decided to take precautions as he wore the front arm-guard on the area he suffered the pain. However, much to Ponting and Karthik’s humour, who were present in the commentary panel, were left flabbergasted after Thakur put on the arm-guard on the wrong arm.

"I've never seen anything like it," said Ponting on air, after which Karthik responded saying, "Neither have I.”

Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur score crucial half-centuries to lead India's fightback

Speaking about the match on Day 3, the Aussies gained an early advantage in the very first over of the day’s play as Scott Boland sent Srikar Bharat packing for a paltry five of 15 balls. Despite the early fall of the wicket, the pair of Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur put up a tough fight against the Aussies and came together to raise a stellar 109-run partnership to reduce the deficit.

Rahane’s majestic innings drew to a conclusion after the batter got 89 runs off 129 balls, which featured 11 fours and a solitary maximum. On the other hand, Thakur too remained solid during his 109-ball 59 knock, getting six boundaries in his account. Impressively, Thakur recorded the joint-most consecutive Test fifty-plus scores as a visiting batter at the Oval, with three under his belt. This meant that he entered an elite list of Australian greats featuring Sir Donald Bradman and Allan Border, respectively.

Team India eventually concluded with 296 runs in the second innings and trailed by 177 runs. The Aussies will be raring to put on a solid total and make life difficult for the Indian team in their quest for the coveted mace.