Brisbane Test: Shardul Thakur top-scored for India with his 67-run knock in first innings of 4th Test vs Australia

Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar were the stars for India on Day 3 of the fourth and decisive Test match in Brisbane's Gabba. The duo partnered for 123 runs for the 7th wicket and took India past the 300-run mark after the 6th wicket in the form of Rishabh Pant fell for 186.

While Washington Sundar scored 62, Shardul Thakur top-scored for India with his 115-ball 67. Batting only in his 2nd innings of Test career, the 29-year-old smashed a six to open his account. 102 deliveries later, he danced down the track off Nathan Lyon to hit another six and reach his maiden fifty in the longest format of the game.

His innings helped India score 336 runs in reply to Australia's first innings target of 369. When asked about his batting blitz after the match, the Palghar-born said that he does possess some



batting talent. Shardul Thakur added that he works on his batting in the nets and was waiting for a moment to contribute.

"I do believe I have some batting talent," the seamer said in a video conference.

"I do work on my batting in the nets. We wait for these moments, these opportunities, to contribute with the bat," he added.

Shardul Thakur in his 62 first-class matches has a batting average of 16.00. In ODIs he averages 19.25, whereas in T20Is he averages a staggering 59.00 in 3 innings.

The 123 run partnership for the 7th wicket between Shardul and Sundar is the highest by an Indian pair at Gabba. Also, this was the 12th time in India's Test cricket history that No.7 and No.8 batsmen registered half-centuries in the same innings, and only the third time it happened outside Asia.