India cricketer Shardul Thakur has opened up about the challenges faced during India’s victorious tour to Australia in 2020-21, revealing that the team experienced poor treatment from Cricket Australia. Thakur described the facilities provided to the Indian team as “horrible” and recounted that there were significant issues with housekeeping services and other amenities.
Thakur stated that India’s then-captain Ajinkya Rahane and coach Ravi Shastri were frequently engaged in disputes with Cricket Australia over the lack of proper facilities. He also criticized former Australia Test captain Tim Paine, accusing him of dishonesty in interviews and claiming that Paine was merely trying to cover up the real issues faced by the Indian team.
Thakur shared that the Governor of Queensland had expressed dissatisfaction with hosting India, which added to the challenges faced by the team. Despite these issues, India went on to win the four-match Test series 2-1, including a memorable victory at The Gabba in Brisbane. Thakur noted that the team’s reaction to the win was unique, as they felt a strong sense of vindication and chose not to acknowledge the Australian players post-match.
The victory was particularly significant as India managed to secure the series despite the absence of captain Virat Kohli for the last three Tests and several injury concerns. In the final Test, India chased down a daunting target of 329 runs, marking a historic and hard-fought triumph.
