‘He has many ways to get wickets’: Tom Moody believes 29-year-old India fast bowler is an ‘exciting package’

India benefitted from the four changes they made to their playing XI in the third ODI against Australia in Canberra on Wednesday. India left out Mayank Agarwal, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal and Navdeep Saini and replaced them with Shubman Gill, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan and Shardul Thakur, with all four additions contributing immensely in India’s 13-run win.

Gill looked like a million bucks during his innings of 33, while Kuldeep finished with 1/57 with the wicket of Cameron Green. Making his India debut, Natarajan picked up 2/70. But it was Shardul Thakur’s 3/51 that really helped India keep nerves while defending 302. Thakur picked up the key wicket of Steve Smith and removed a set Moises Henriques and later Sean Abbott.

His performance has impressed former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody, who called Thakur an ‘exciting package’, believing the 29-year-old quick could be a crucial part of India’s ODI setup going forward.

“Thakur bowled really well. He provides a point of difference to that side which I quite like. I know that Saini played the first couple of games and they’re sort of earmarking him for the Test matches, but I think Thakur provides a real good point of difference in ODI cricket,” Moody said on ESPNCricinfo.

Moody reckons Thakur has plenty of variations, which allows him the option of having many ways of getting wicket. “He’s got a good change of pace, he’s got the yorker, he can swing the ball as well which is important if there’s anything for offer in the air. He’s got the skillset to swing the ball. To me, he’s an exciting package because he has many ways to get wickets,” he added.