Home
In a recent development from the cricket world, Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur faced an injury setback during a training session at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Saturday, December 30. The incident occurred while Thakur was practicing at the nets in an optional training session, where he was struck on the shoulder by a ball during throwdowns by batting coach Vikram Rathour. This unfortunate event has cast doubt on his participation in the upcoming 2nd Test against South Africa in Cape Town, scheduled to start on January 3.
Follow the Sports Tak channel on WhatsApp
The severity of Thakur's injury is still uncertain, and there is a possibility that he might need to undergo scanning to assess the extent of the impact. As of now, it remains unclear if his condition requires scans, as reported by the PTI news agency. The injury occurred when a delivery from Rathour bounced awkwardly from a good length, catching Thakur off guard and resulting in him being unable to evade the ball, leading to evident discomfort and pain.
Despite the injury, Thakur showcased his resilience by continuing to bat in the nets. However, post his batting session, he required treatment and was seen with an ice pack, administered by the team physio. Thakur, who had been the first to enter the nets for throwdowns, chose not to participate further in the training after the initial session.
Thakur's performance in the first Test at Centurion was not up to his usual standards, where he gave away 101 runs in 19 overs. The Indian team faced challenges in that match, particularly with the bowling department as both Thakur and debutant Prasidh Krishna struggled to exert control, in contrast to their teammates Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and R Ashwin. South Africa capitalized on this, scoring 408 in their first innings and eventually defeating India by an innings and 32 runs.
The Indian team is hopeful for Thakur’s quick recovery for the 2nd Test in Cape Town. They are already dealing with the absence of Mohammed Shami, who was ruled out of the series due to an injury. In response to the situation, India has added Avesh Khan to their Test squad as Shami's replacement. Khan, who performed impressively in India A's tour game against South Africa A and the ODI series where he claimed six wickets, including a four-wicket haul in the first ODI, is a potential asset for the team in the upcoming matches. India, under KL Rahul's captaincy, secured a series win by 2-1, largely attributed to Khan’s notable contributions.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK:
Sri Lanka announce new captains for ODIs and T20Is, veteran batter and star all-rounder handed responsibility
Ex-India batter throws huge shade at Rohit Sharma, dubs 'Hitman' a 'weaker player' and questions his place in the team
