“Shardul Thakur’s all-round performance has kept the Test series alive” - Sachin Tendulkar

Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar applauded Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur for picking up nine wickets between themselves on Day 4 of the ongoing Gabba Test against Australia.

In a Twitter post, Tendulkar congratulated Mohammed Siraj for his maiden five-for. In the same tweet, he also lauded Shardul Thakur for his fabulous all-round performance, saying that the 29-year-old's efforts have kept the Border-Gavaskar Test series alive.

Well done Mohd. Siraj on your 1st fifer and @imShard on your important all round performance which has kept the Test rather interesting so far and more importantly, the Test series alive. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/tXmLP2c9FN

— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 18, 2021

Australia began Day 4 of the Gabba Test in the ascendancy, with a lead of 54 and all ten wickets in hand. However, Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur struck timely blows to restrict the hosts and keep Team India in the game.

After the opening pair of Marcus Harris (38) and David Warner (48) added 89 runs for the first wicket, Shardul Thakur had Harris caught behind off a short ball. David Warner was then sent back by debutant spinner Washington Sundar.

It was thereafter the Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur show.

Mohammed Siraj bagged the massive scalps of Marnus Labuschagne (25), Steven Smith (55) and Matthew Wade (0), while Thakur sent back Tim Paine (27), Cameron Green (37) and Nathan Lyon (13) to the pavilion.

Mohammed Siraj and Shardul Thakur’s record-breaking show

Mohammed Siraj’s five-for at the Gabba was only the fifth instance of an Indian bowler claiming a five-wicket haul at the venue. The 26-year-old achieved the feat in only his third Test, though.

Erapalli Prasanna, Bishan Singh Bedi, Madan Lal and Zaheer Khan are the only other Indian bowlers to have claimed five-wicket hauls at the Gabba in Brisbane.

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur registered the second-best match figures by an Indian player at the Gabba. The Mumbai all-rounder picked up 4 for 61 on Day 4 of the Test to go with his 3 for 94 in Australia’s first innings.

Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill take India to 4/0 at stumps before rain stops play on day four.The visitors need 324 runs to win. #AUSvIND scorecard ⏩ https://t.co/oDTm209M8z pic.twitter.com/StizY7tja0

— ICC (@ICC) January 18, 2021

Shardul Thakur's match figures of 7 for 155 are now the best by an Indian bowler at the Gabba in the last five decades. Former off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna holds the record for the best match figures by an Indian bowler at the venue, scalping eight wickets for 218 runs in the January 1968 Test.

Moreover, Shardul Thakur, who also top-scored with 67 in India’s first innings, became the first player since Dale Steyn (2008) to take seven wickets and score a half-century in a Test match in Australia.