10th June 2023, Mumbai: Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur remains optimistic about India’s chances of successfully chasing down a daunting target of 450 runs in the final of the World Test Championship. After Day 3 of the WTC Final at the Kennington Oval, Australia had set India a lead of 296 runs. Shardul expressed his belief in the power of a strong partnership and cited examples such as England’s chase of 400 runs against India last year.
Speaking confidently at the press conference, Shardul stated, “Cricket is a funny game. You can never say what is the right total and in this one-off game, especially the ICC finals, you never know who can handle the pressure better out there. With one good partnership, you can even chase down 450 or maybe more than that.”
Highlighting England’s successful chase of 400 runs in a Test match against India, Shardul drew inspiration from that feat. He emphasized the unpredictability of Test cricket and mentioned that the game can change within an hour. He expressed optimism and stated that India will approach the game with positivity.
Reflecting on his partnership with Ajinkya Rahane, Shardul mentioned that their focus was on absorbing the pressure and maintaining constant communication during their crucial 109-run stand for the seventh wicket on Day 3.When asked about Australia’s plans for Day 4, Mitchell Starc, the Australian fast bowler, revealed that they intend to continue batting. He expressed hope that the pitch would start showing more tricks during the fourth innings, giving the bowlers an advantage. Starc stated that they will keep batting for now and take the weather conditions into account.
India will be eagerly seeking their first ICC trophy in almost a decade as they aim to defeat Australia in the WTC Final in London. The final day of the match promises to be an exciting one, with both teams vying for victory in this prestigious tournament.
Article by PRITESH PATEL