MUMBAI: It’s a story of perseverance. The night of November 25, 2024, was a painful one for Shardul Thakur. Much to everyone’s surprise, the ‘Palghar Express,’ who had played 83 internationals for India, went unsold in the Indian Premier League auction. Just days before that, the 33-year-old had been left out of India’s squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy to be played in Australia. For Thakur, it was a particularly bitter pill to swallow, given his big role in India’s historic win at the Gabba in 2021.
Thakur had played a match-winning knock of 67 and taken a seven-wicket haul (7/69). However, at the pre-tour press conference, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir signalled a shift toward younger players, stating that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy represented India’s future. The statement effectively ended Thakur’s Test career.
