Don’t put high expectations on Shardul Thakur: Irfan Pathan

India registered a thumping 157-run win over England in the fourth Test at The Oval and took a series lead of 2-1. While it was a collective team effort with individual chipping in with useful contributions, all-rounder Shardul Thakur’s brilliance with bat and ball was what was the most defining moment in the five days of the Test match.

Thakur was predominately included in the team to add more depth in the batting lineup, and he delivered by scoring two vital fifties. If the first fifty propelled India to a respectable first-innings total of 191, his second knock of 60 runs allowed the team to post a daunting target of 368 to chase for England in the fourth innings. Thakur was also decent with the ball and ended up picking three wickets in the match.

Ever since the legendary Kapil Dev called it quits in the early 90s, India has struggled to have pace bowling all-rounder who can win matches with both bat and ball. Irfan Pathan, Sanjay Bangar, and more recently Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have donned the role of a seam-bowling allrounder.

Pathan burst onto the scene as a bowler but later rose to fame due to his handy batting skills as well. He was also dubbed as the next Kapil Dev and knows a thing or two about the enormous pressure and tag. He also shared his thoughts on Shardul being a potential all-rounder.

“We’ve to be smart enough to manage him nicely. By that, I mean that we don’t put added pressure on him by promoting him from No 8 to No 7. Right now, he’s shown signs of being a good, handy lower-order batsman. He’s a very, very good No. 8 batsman at the highest level,” Pathan told Times of India.

Let him first grow as a cricketer: Irfan Pathan

“In modern-day cricket, it’s not just about No. 7…You need a guy who bats well, a match-winner at No.8 as well. With a guy like Shardul at that slot, you may not need a top-quality all-rounder at No. 7. Let him settle in this position, and get better, and then put pressure on him. Don’t put high expectations on him when he may not be yet ready to bat No. 7. You’ve to be cautious about it. As of now, let things remain as they are and give him more matches at No.8. Let him grow as a cricketer.”

Irfan Pathan further opined that before dubbing as an all-rounder, people should also appreciate his contribution to the team in his so-far brief Test career.

“He’s a fit cricketer, who’s done well for Mumbai in first-class cricket. Whenever he’s played for India, he’s tried to contribute as much as he can. That’s the kind of a cricketer you want in your team. He might go for some runs he can blow hot and cold in bowling, which can happen since he’s an aggressive pace bowler who tries to take wickets. He has that mindset. I like him. He’s got heaps of experience in first-class cricket before playing for India. It’s not that he’s just an IPL product.”