"If someone makes a Shardul Thakur fan club, I want to be its first member" - Aakash Chopra

Aakash Chopra has lauded Shardul Thakur for rising to the occasion whenever Team India have been in a spot of bother during the fourth Test against England.

Thakur flayed the England attack to all corners of the park to register the fastest Test fifty on English soil in India's first innings. He followed that up with another enterprising 60-run knock in the visitors' second essay.

A fifty in each innings for Shardul Thakur 🔥#WTC23 | #ENGvIND | https://t.co/zRhnFiKhzZ pic.twitter.com/YihlURcy7Q

— ICC (@ICC) September 5, 2021

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra spoke highly of Shardul Thakur's match-defining contributions in the ongoing Oval Test. He elaborated:

"If someone makes a Shardul Thakur fan club, I want to be its first member. Whenever India has been in trouble, he has come and shone. Whether you see his fifty in the first innings or the invaluable contribution of 60 runs in this innings, he left Pant behind, or Ollie Pope's wicket, I have become a huge fan of his."

The former India opener picked Shardul Thakur as the savior for the Virat Kohli-led side. Chopra explained:

"I am going to pick Shardul Thakur because it is not possible without him. Let's be honest, if you were all out for 130-odd, I can give you in writing that we would have lost the match by now because the game would have played out in a different fashion."

Shardul Thakur stitched together a crucial partnership of 63 runs with Umesh Yadav after Team India were reduced to a score of 127/7 in their first innings.

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"Every little thing matters" - Aakash Chopra on Shardul Thakur's contributions

Shardul Thakur got rid of Ollie Pope in the first innings

Aakash Chopra highlighted that Shardul Thakur's dismissal of Ollie Pope played a huge role in India restricting England's first-innings lead. He said:

"With 191, suddenly you had the positivity. There were shadows in the evening and you take wickets. You get Ollie Pope out and the lead is restricted to 99, it is not a 125-run lead. Every little thing matters."

Shardul Thakur chops on Ollie Pope, Shardul delivers when the team required. pic.twitter.com/PAlyHcWvue

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) September 3, 2021

The reputed commentator signed off by stating that Shardul Thakur will have to be amongst the wickets for India to put it across England. Chopra observed:

"After that, again this 60-run knock. I am saying Shardul will have to take one or two wickets today, if he doesn't do that, you will not be able to win the match today as well."

Virat Kohli did not introduce Shardul Thakur into the attack in the 32 overs India bowled on the fourth day. The swing bowler is likely to be India's fifth bowling option on the final day as well, considering there is not much on offer for him from the pitch.