'What I did in Brisbane is probably the highlight of my career'- Shardul Thakur on 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy heroics

Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur's performance in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy was nothing short of impressive. With India preparing for the upcoming tour of Australia, Thakur recently opened up about his career-defining experience at the Gabba.

The series down under was a rollercoaster ride for Team India, suffering from injuries and challenges. Thakur initially selected only for the white-ball games, was included in the final Test in Brisbane. The 33-year-old pacer delivered an all-round performance that registered his name in history books. In a recent interview, Thakur reflected on his Gabba heroics, and with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 edition around the corner, Thakur seemed eager to be part of the action once again. 

"What I did in Brisbane is probably the highlight of my career, contributing when it mattered the most. We are going to Australia again, the team is not announced, but I am hoping to see my name on the list. Mentally, even in these Ranji games, I am preparing for Australia also. Honestly, I badly want to go to Australia, I want to do something there. A lot of the international teams have failed to win back-to-back series there but this team could be the one to win three in a row, so I want to be part of it," Thakur was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.

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It will be a tough series for both the teams: Shardul Thakur

Besides, Shardul Thakur also recalled a conversation with the then-coach Ravi Shastri while on a flight to Australia and revealed that the former coach ahead of the tour believed that the all-rounder could make a huge impact in the series. Interestingly, Thakur was only part of the ODI squad initially but a few injuries plagued the Indian side during the tour, which forced the coach and management to include him in the Gabba Test.

"I remember that series right from the conversation I had with (coach) Ravi Shastri in the flight. I was (only) part of the ODI squad, but played all three formats and ended up playing the last Test also. The coach had a feeling – he randomly called me in the flight and said, 'Shardul, you are part of the ODI team but I am telling you, you are not leaving Australia, you are staying till the last day and I have a gut feeling you will make some difference on the tour," he continued.

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Currently, Thakur is currently playing for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Moreover, he is also preparing himself mentally to be part of India's contingent for the highly anticipated tour. He believes that the tour will be a tightly contested affair with Australia.

"We have the last two series wins in Australia; they know they can’t underestimate this Indian team. Also, this Indian team is going to be full of surprises. In 2018-19, we saw different individuals stepping up in different games, the same in the last series. Cricket will be played hard. It will be a tough series for both the teams," Thakur concluded.