The Rise and Rise of ‘Lord Shardul’ and How Coach Dinesh Lad Played a Role | Cricket news

MUMBAI: From dealing with the frustration of not being played by his IPL franchise to a career best seven wicket run in trial cricket, Shardul Thakur has come a long way, but his childhood coach Dinesh Lad says that he never really had to do anything special to shape the trained all-rounder except to “work on his mental toughness”.
Shardul returned a handsome 7/61, her best bowling numbers in tests, as India grouped hosts for 229 on day two of the second test at the Johannesburg Wanderers.
It was with Lad that “Lord Shardul” or “Palghar Express”, as he is now affectionately known for his reputation as a partnership breaker, remained in Mumbai during his formative years.

One delighted boy told PTI on Tuesday: “I didn’t work specifically with him, but (I worked) on his mental toughness. I remember when he was taken in for the IPL, and he didn’t. did not play for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings), he would be frustrated and say ‘they are not playing me’.
“I was telling him that everything was fine, they selected you and it is important that you train with bigger players.”
The 30-year-old made his Test debut against the West Indies in October 2018, but had to wait for his next chance for a considerable time.
Lad, who is also the childhood coach of India’s white ball captain Rohit Sharma, had only one piece of advice for Shardul after his national breakthrough: ‘Don’t do anything different’.

“When he was (first) selected for the tour of the West Indies, at that point, I just told him not to do anything different. The way you’ve played the Ranji Trophy so far, the same way you have to bowling, he recalled.
“You have now grown up (and) by that point you will be doing something different and it will affect your bowling. Better do the same things you grew up with and he continued to listen (advice) ”revealed Lad, one of the best coaches on the national circuit.
“There wasn’t a specific discussion, he kept learning. About bowling, I told him to hit the batter, the more you put the batter on, the more likely you are to get wickets. Lad joked.
Shardul, besides being a race leader, is now a handy batsman, who can perform much-needed runs, as he showed Gabba last year against Australia and Lad recalled of the way he worked on his grip.
“I changed his high end grip and he took advantage of it. But he worked on it, he understood what I was saying and he worked on it. He was a hard hitter, but once he started playing with a straight bat he learned he could stay at the wicket and do anything, ”Lad recalls.
Shardul, who has now played in all three formats for India and is a regular member of the national team, is from Palghar, but it was at Lad’s insistence that he stayed in his Mumbai home. .
“When I saw him he played in a game against my school, after which I insisted that he (he stay with me) because traveling was a problem. I convinced my wife that Shardul would stay with me. we.
“One thing I’m proud of is that I knew this kid would do wonders so I kept him in my house,” Lad said.
“If I hadn’t made that decision then, maybe Shardul would have played there (in his hometown). My vision was that if this boy came to Mumbai he would play big cricket and since it was accomplished, I was delighted, “he said. noted.
Lad, the father of Siddhesh Lad, also a household name on the national circuit, said Shardul was talented and kept motivating him.
“Shardul justified his talent. If I hadn’t brought him to Mumbai, no one would have seen Shardul,” concluded the senior boy.