Shardul Thakur's explosive revelation on 'horrible' treatment in 2020/21 Australia tour, accuses Tim Paine of ‘lying’
Indian pacer Shardul Thakur has made concerning revelations over Team India's treatment during the 2020/21 Test tour, which took place during Covid-19 pandemic.
India will return to Australia later this year for a blockbuster five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy as part of the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. The previous edition of the series Down Under holds a special place in the hearts of Indian fans; despite all odds, India clinched a memorable 2-1 series win, which included a historic win at Gabba in Brisbane, a ground renowned for being Australia's ‘fortress’.
However, as India gear up for a long Test season and aims to qualify for a third-straight WTC Final, Shardul Thakur, the Indian pacer who was part of the squad during the previous tour of Australia, has made concerning revelations. During a public event, Shardul spoke in detail about off-the-field troubles the Indian squad had to endure throughout the tour.
The pacer revealed that the facilities weren't conducive to the team's comfort, which was already dealing with injury absences throughout the tour. While then-Indian captain Virat Kohli left the side after the first Test owing to personal reasons, some of the key players, such as Mohammed Shami, KL Rahul, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, faced injuries throughout the series.
To add to the troubles, the Queensland government reacted to the Indian team's reluctance for a 14-day quarantine (due to the Covid-19 pandemic) in a rather blunt manner, stating the side was more than welcome not to enter the state if they were unwilling to coordinate with the protocols.
"The way they treated us was very horrible," said Thakur as he recalled the tour.
“For four or five days, there would be no housekeeping service in the hotel. If you wanted to change the bedsheets, you would have to walk up five floors when you're tired,” he stated.
He also addressed an interview from then-Australian Tim Paine, stating that he “lied” when he stated that Indian team were provided whatever they wanted.
"I heard some interview from Tim Paine. That man was absolutely lying, he was just saving himself by making up things in the media, and covering up that 'we didn't put any pressure on Indian team and gave them whatever they wanted'. But I know the truth." said Thakur.
"Virat (Kohli) had left - and Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Shastri were regularly fighting with Cricket Australia to give us what we wanted" he added.
Shardul currently away from Team India
Shardul wasn't part of India's previous Test series against England at home, but played the first Test of the side's last away tour earlier this year in South Africa. India's current fast bowling attack comprises of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Mukesh Kumar, with a potential arrival of Mohammed Shami later this year as he continues to recover from the injury he sustained during the ODI World Cup last year.
