Pleased to practice after two months, asserts Shardul Thakur

As the coronavirus-induced pandemic took over the world, all sports and outdoor training were stopped immediately in mid-March. Since then, it’s only been a week that international cricketers have resumed training. While Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes became the first international cricketers to practice outdoors, Shardul Thakur has become the first amongst his Indian teammates. Shardul Thakur, on Saturday, resumed outdoor training and expressed that he is pleased to be practising again after a long break of two months. 

Thakur, who has represented Team India in one Test, 11 ODIs and 15 T20s, conducted a practice session at a local ground at Boisar in Maharashtra’s Palghar district along with some domestic players. In its fourth phase of lockdown, that will go on till May 31, the Indian government allowed has allowed the opening of stadiums for training purposes in green and orange zones without spectators. 

“Yes, we practised today. It was good and definitely pleasing to practice after two months,” Thakur told PTI.

According to an official, the training was done around 110 kilometres away from Mumbai and all protocols were strictly followed as each bowler got their own set of disinfected balls.

“All the safety measures were followed. The bowlers got their own balls which were disinfected and temperatures of the players, who came for practice were also checked,” the official said, as quoted by the TOI.