Indian pacer Shardul Thakur puts behind family loss to prepare for West Indies tour

There have been plenty of instances wherein sportsmen went on to bring their very best after absorbing the demise of family members. Named as part of the Indian squad for the West Indies tour, Shardul Thakur is enduring a tough phase in his personal life.

Speaking to PTI, the 24-year old revealed that the joy of receiving a maiden national call-up was mitigated by his uncle’s passing away. However, he still remained focused on seizing the opportunity by preparing meticulously for the Test series.

When asked about the reactions of his family members, Thakur felt, “They were happy. But a couple of weeks ago, my uncle - my mom's brother - had passed away. So, the celebrations weren't too high.”

It is worth remembering that the legendary Sachin Tendulkar famously scored a century in the 1999 World Cup, days after his father’s demise. Current Indian Test skipper Virat Kohli too had showed his tenacity by playing a fighting knock for Delhi within days of his father’s death.

Shardul had delivered a decisive spell for Mumbai in the 2015-16 Ranji Trophy Final which titled the match in their favor. Amidst all the turmoil, he still acknowledged his selection by sharing the moment with his close friends.

The Palghar-born cricketer said, “We kept it easy. Obviously, my friends came home and we cut the cake.” Upon being felicitated for breaking into the Indian squad, Thakur sounded excited about representing his country.

On the bowler-friendly pitches in the Caribbean, Thakur affirmed, “I don't have idea of their wickets, how they are preparing wickets/pitches now. I will go there and figure it out. I will talk to my senior guys when I meet there. Go there, practice and figure it out.”

Recalling his formative years which was built on hardships, Shardul noted, “I mean it's very difficult to travel each and every day from Palghar to Mumbai. But, I had to play cricket and cricket was the only thing on my mind. So, rest of the things did not matter to me that I had to travel so much. So, I had to do it.”

All those experiences could come handy when he gears up for the 4-Test series against West Indies which is slated to begin in July.