Published: Feb 11, 2020, 05:44 PM (IST)
Edited: Feb 11, 2020, 05:44 PM (IST)
India pacer Shardul Thakur faced the heat on social space after he conceded 87 runs in 9.1 overs and picked up a wicket against New Zealand in third ODI at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on Tuesday. Thakur has mot been in the best of forms as he has given away 217 runs in the recently concluded three-match ODI series which India lost 3-0.
Defending 297, the 28-year-old was given the responsibility to bowl the penultimate over. He was taken to the cleaners by the NZ batsman who scored 20 of the over and that put the hosts in the driver’s seat.
In the first ODI, he conceded 80 of nine overs and picked a wicket and in the second, he went for 60 runs in his 10 overs and picked two wickets. In his last six ODIs, he has conceded runs at an economy of 7.58 in 51 overs.
After the match, Thakur bore the brunt of fans on social space. Netizens hilariously compared the right-arm pacer to Ashoke Dinda.
Ashok Dinda after seeing today’s #shardulthakur bowling:
Congratulations #shardulthakur
U R officially in the Dinda bowling Army #INDvsNZ
Jitu (@Jitendra0917) February 11, 2020
Rumor is that @imShard will be offered the position of Vice president in the prestigious Ashok Dinda Academy. The award will be presented by the one and only @ashok_dinda. #IndiaVSNewZEaland #INDvsNZ #NZvIND #NZvsIND #shardulthakur
saksham gupta (@saksh1998_gupta) February 5, 2020
Shardul Thakur is the new Ashok Dinda 😂😂😂
9-0-80-0 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️🤦🏻♂️#INDvNZ #NZvIND #shardulthakur
H K (@telugabbaayi) February 5, 2020
JUST IN: Ashoke Dinda is impressed with Shardul’s performance and looking forward to include him in the Academy.#NZvIND #shardulthakur
Harsh Popat (@iHarshPopat) February 11, 2020
@BCCI @imVkohli said after the 2nd match that odi cricket is not important this year then why you guys wasting people time by playing odi cricket at all playing useless guys like kedar and shardul thakur?#INDvsNZ #shardulthakur pic.twitter.com/BJRCXbxaf0
sameer (@sam41077784) February 11, 2020
#ShardulThakur receives RAHUL Gandhi khel ratna award for his consistency. @DindaAcademy #IndvsNZ #DelhiElectionResults pic.twitter.com/gVf0G645Qm
Utsav Goel (@UVG_tweets) February 11, 2020
#INDvNZ Shardul thakur to new Zealand batsmen in today’s match #shardulthakur #snthakur pic.twitter.com/J641AOZIlS
It’s Shad (@shad_it) February 11, 2020
Meanwhile, this was the third time in history that India have suffered a whitewash in a series of three or more ODIs.
The first time they had failed to win a single ODI in a bilateral series was against West Indies in 1983/4 at home. The five-match series ended in the favour of Clive Lloyd-led West Indies against the then world champion India who had beaten them in a thrilling finale at Lord’s earlier in 1983.
Five years later, West Indies produced a repeat of their dominating show, this time as hosts, beating India 5-0 in 1988.
