Image Credit- ICC
Shardul Thakur has
faith in Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer to bounce back despite their inability
to break through with the bat in the first innings of Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy
final.
Mumbai scored 224 at Wankhede Stadium, led by 75 from Thakur, with Rahane and
Iyer scoring 7 each. After that, Thakur claimed the first wicket for Vidarbha,
and Dhawal Kulkarni added two more, leaving Vidarbha at a precarious 31 for 3.
“Ajinkya is not
scoring runs throughout the season. He is not in the greatest of the forms. We
cannot blame him as it is just a phase for him where he is not getting
runs,” Thakur said after the day’s play. “It’s just a rough patch for
them. That’s what I would say [about] Shreyas [and] Ajinkya. These guys have
been absolute match-winners for Mumbai and India.
“Right now, it’s not their time; it’s time to support them rather than
criticising them because it’s easy to criticise.”
In eight Ranji
matches, Rahane has amassed just 141 runs at an average of 12.81, with one
fifty to his credit. Iyer hasn’t played much for Mumbai this season, but he
hasn’t had a very good return to the domestic scene, with three games at an
average of 19.33 and a maximum score of 48 runs.
“Ajinkya has not scored runs but his attitude on the fielding is top
notch,” Thakur said. “A lot of youngsters coming from Under-23 and
Under-19 cricket in Mumbai don’t have the attitude that he has. You see him in
the slips, even if he is fielded for 80 overs, he will sprint [to] save four
runs.
“Shreyas moves around the field like a tiger. He absolutely gives
everything that he has on the field. Both of them are role models when they are
in the dressing room.”
While defending the
senior pros, Thakur expressed his displeasure at some of the younger batters
not grabbing their opportunities in a match as significant as the Ranji final.
“The other batters… we collectively felt that they should have shown a
better approach,” he said. “Starting from Bhupen Lalwani, because he
survived the first two or three balls in that over [from Yash Thakur, in which
he was dismissed] and still chasing that wide one on the fourth delivery, is
not on.” Lalwani scored 37, while Prithvi Shaw scored 46, but Musheer Khan
(6) and Hardik Tamore (5) failed.