"Cheers to fun and games"- Shardul Thakur wishes his wife on wedding anniversary with a special post [In Pictures]

Team India bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur wished his wife, Mittali Parulkar, on their second wedding anniversary through a special post. The couple married on February 26, 2023, in a traditional Marathi ceremony.

Shardul took to his official Instagram on Thursday and shared a couple of pictures of himself with his wife on the occasion of their wedding anniversary. He captioned the post:

"Happy anniversary to us 🎂❤️🧿 Cheers to fun and games 🥂#st54"

Shardul Thakur last played for India in December 2023 during the Test series in South Africa. He has been out of contention since, with the team management preferring youngsters Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana in bowling-all-rounder roles in Test cricket.

However, he is still doing the hard yards in domestic cricket and trying to regain his spot in the Indian team with a strong all-round performance for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2024-25.

"The motivation to play for the country drives me forward"- Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur recently talked about the disappointment and frustration he felt due to his non-selection for Team India over the past year. He said his biggest motivation remains to play international cricket and he has been trying to give his best in domestic tournaments to get back into the Indian side. He said (via Times of India):

"When there's no place in the team, there's naturally disappointment. And, when you're not playing, sitting idle at home, you tend to think about it more. But once I step onto the field, my entire focus is on the match -- whether it's club cricket, Ranji Trophy, IPL, or playing for India. To me, every cricket match is the same. I always aim to give my best in whichever game I play, I don't have any other thoughts. It affects every player differently."

On his plans of making a comeback in international cricket, Thakur continued:

"My focus is on what's in my hands. I believe I'm in contention. The next step is to make my place in the team and earn selection. That's always the goal. International cricket is the highest level we all strive for. It's always on my mind, it's the motivation to play for the country that drives me forward. That passion, that fire, never fades."

Shardul Thakur was one of the stand-out performers for Mumbai in Ranji Trophy 2024-25. He picked up 35 wickets across nine games at an average of 22.63, including one five-wicket haul. Thakur also provided Mumbai with crucial contributions with the bat in the lower order, scoring 505 runs at an average of 42, with one century and four half-centuries to his name.