Both the batters are out of form and are looking to get their places back into the Indian team.
There is always a time in a player’s career when he is out of form. Despite doing most of the things right, runs do not come easily. But a good player always comes through these rough patches positively and successfully. Currently, Mumbai are playing Vidarbha in the all-important Ranji Trophy final played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Bowling allrounder Shardul Thakur scored a magnificent 75 to take his team to a respectable total of 224 on a pitch where bowlers were making merry. Thakur came in to bat when Mumbai were 111/6 and had lost their captain Ajinkya Rahane. But the allrounder’s counter-attacking knock of 75 from just 69 balls brought Mumbai back into the game. He hit 8 fours and 3 sixes during his knock.
After their poor returns in the Ranji Trophy final, Thakur defended the side’s senior cricketers saying that both are going through a rough patch. He termed them as match-winners for Mumbai and India.
“Ajinkya is not scoring runs throughout the season. He is not in the greatest of the forms. 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,” Thakur said after the end of Day 1.
“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 also spoke about Rahane and Iyer’s attitude in their fielding despite not scoring runs with the bat. He termed both the players as role models of Mumbai’s dressing room.
“Ajinkya has not scored runs but his attitude on the fielding is top notch. 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,” Thakur said.
“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,” he added.
Both Rahane and Iyer scored 7 runs each in Mumbai’s first innings. Both the players are out of form and out of the national team as well. Ajinkya Rahane and Shreyas Iyer will be in action in the upcoming IPL 2024 for Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders respectively.
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