Shardul wants to test himself by bowling to Virat Kohli

The only new face for the West Indies Test tour, rookie Mumbai pacer Shardul Thakur on Thursday said he was looking forward to test himself by bowling to skipper Virat Kohli at the nets.

Thakur, who earned the selectors’ nod on the back of an impressive Ranji Trophy performance, said bowling to a batsman of Kohli’s calibre will help him identify his weaknesses.

“Bowling to good batsmen in the nets is always an advantage as it shows you where you stand, what you need to work on and how you can improve. So, I am looking forward to bowling to Virat Kohli in the nets and test myself,” Thakur was quoted as saying by bcci.tv.

The 24-year-old, who reached the National Cricket Academy on Wednesday for the preparatory camp prior to the Caribbean tour, said he was nervous.

“There is always a bit of nervousness when you are new to the setup. I was nervous before landing here, but once I talked to the guys, I settled down. When we fly to St. Kitts, I might be a bit nervous but at the same time, it gets the best out of me,” he said.

“It feels great. I was really excited to come here and give my best. On the first day, we did a few fitness tests and I am happy I did well,” he added.

The pacer said he was looking forward to learning from the former new head coach and spin legend Anil Kumble.

“I must say he created an impact right in his first interaction itself. I am keen to work with him and learn a lot of things. He is a legend. He has loads of experience and it is going to be very useful to the team and me. I am looking forward to spending time with him on this tour,” he said.