"I believe I'm in contention for England tour," Shardul Thakur optimistic about India test team recall amid terrific Ranji Trophy form

Shardul Thakur’s last test match was in December 2023.

Shardul Thakur has expressed optimism about being recalled to the Indian test team for their five-match test tour to England later in the year.

Thakur, who played the last of his 11 tests in December 2023 on the South Africa tour, has been in a terrific form in the ongoing Ranji Trophy 2024/25 season, where his team, Mumbai, has reached the semi-finals.

Shardul Thakur has been outstanding with both bat and ball and has been bailing Mumbai out of trouble in the last few games.

With the bat, he has scored 402 runs at an average of 40, hitting one century and three fifties. With the ball, Thakur has picked up 33 wickets at 19.96 with one five-for and a hat-trick.

“When there’s no place in the team, there’s naturally disappointment. And, when you’re not playing, sitting idle at home, you tend to think about it more,” Thakur was quoted as saying by Times Of India.

“But once I step onto the field, my entire focus is on the match – whether it’s club cricket, Ranji Trophy, IPL, or playing for India. To me, every cricket match is the same, regardless of the level. I always aim to give my best in whichever game I play, I don’t have any other thoughts.”

Next step is to make my place in the team and earn selection: Shardul Thakur

Last year, Shardul Thakur was dropped from the test team due to dip in returns, while Nitish Kumar Reddy rose as a batting all-rounder in Australia.

But with his experience and form as a proper pace-bowling all-rounder, Shardul Thakur is eyeing a place in the squad for the test series in England in June.

“Yes, absolutely. I believe I’m in contention [for the England tour]. The next step is to make my place in the team and earn selection. That’s always the goal.”

“Right now, I’m playing at the Ranji Trophy level. International cricket is the highest level we all strive for. It’s always on my mind, it’s the motivation to play for the country that drives me forward. That passion, that fire, never fades,” he added.

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