"It's not their time" - Shardul Thakur defends Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer amid poor form

Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur has thrown his weight behind teammates Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer, saying their poor form over the last few months is only a "rough patch" and a result of unfavorable fate.

Both Rahane and Shreyas scored 7 runs each in the Ranji Trophy 2024 final against Vidarbha. Rahane's tally for the season currently reads - 141 runs in eight matches at an average of 12.81 with just one half-century.

Shreyas, meanwhile, played only three Ranji matches in the season, scoring 58 runs. In between the tournament, he also played two Tests against England, recording scores of 35, 13, 27, and 29 before being dropped.

"Ajinkya is not scoring runs throughout the season. He is not in the greatest of the forms," Thakur said after the first day of the final. "We cannot blame him as it is just a phase for him where he is not getting runs. 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 criticizing them because it's easy to criticize," he added.

Thakur came to bat at 111-6 but, for the second time in the tournament top-scored for his team with a brilliant 75 (69) to take them to 224. The innings followed Mumbai's season pattern of middle-order collapses followed by lower-order fightbacks.

"Ajinkya has not scored runs but his attitude on the fielding is top-notch," Thakur added. "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," Thakur concluded.

Thakur didn't hesitate to criticize youngster Bhupen Lalwani, though. Lalwani opened the innings and scored 37 (64) but Thakur felt he needed to learn to play for the team by making his starts count.

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"I love to play in tough situations" - Shardul Thakur

Thakur attributed his form and the ability to stand up in difficult situations to his tough early career, saying:

"I love to play in tough situations and tough conditions. The kind of life that I have lived travelling far from Palghar to Mumbai with the kit bag on the train, you know it was not easy. That has toughened me up."

Catch Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy final here.