Oval Test: Shardul Thakur shines with bat, hammers quick-fire fifty to break Virender Sehwag’s record

Virat Kohli made 50 off 96 balls while Shardul Thakur saved India the blushes with a sensational 57 off 36 balls and took the total towards 200 in the final session against England on Thursday.

Thakur’s quick-fire 57 consisted of seven fours and three maximums. The pacer showcased another facet of his batting with some textbook drives and lion-hearted sixes. 

En route to his 57, Shardul also broke Virender Sehwag’s record of scoring the fastest half-century in Test cricket. “The Palghar Express” now stands second in the list behind former skipper Kapil Dev. 

Fastest Test half-centuries for India:-

1. 30 balls: Kapil Dev (1982)
2. 31 balls: Shardul Thakur (2021)*
3. 32 balls: Virender Sehwag (2008)

Shardul also broke Ian Botham’s record of scoring the fastest Test fifty on English soil. Botham had achieved the feat in 32 deliveries back in 1986. 

Meanwhile, England produced another top-class bowling effort after winning the toss with Chris Woakes taking four wickets and Ollie Robinson taking three.

Robinson dismissed Virat Kohli for the third time in the series with the India skipper departing after a well made fifty. India reached 122 for six at tea.

India struggled against the moving ball in the morning session, struggling to 54 for three at lunch.

Joe Root put India in to bat amid overcast conditions. Coming back from injury, Woakes made an instant impact by having Rohit Sharma (11) caught behind in his first over. Robinson then trapped KL Rahul (17) with a ball that nipped backed in.

Cheteshwar Pujara followed an outswinger from James Anderson only to edge it to the wicketkeeper to leave India reeling at 39 for three. Ravindra Jadeja (10), who came ahead of Ajinkya Rahane and Rishabh Pant, was also out in the slips off the bowling of Chris Woakes. Rahane also walked back for just 14 at the stroke of tea.

With PTI Inputs