"Thought it was Virender Sehwag batting" - R Sridhar & Ravichandran Ashwin heap praise on Shardul Thakur

In a chat with India's fielding coach R Sridhar on his Youtube channel, Ravichandran Ashwin praised Shardul Thakur for his inexplicable belief.

The off-spinner revealed how the entire dressing room was in awe of his stroke-making in the first innings of the Gabba Test.

R Sridhar even said the all-rounder's batting reminded him of Virender Sehwag.

Joining Washington Sundar at the crease at 186-6, Shardul Thakur and the young off-spinner went on to stitch a 123-run partnership to get India to safety in the first innings of the fourth Test.

Thakur was dismissed for 67 but not before playing crunching shots against some of the best bowlers currently in international cricket.

Ravichandran Ashwin revealed how he was mesmerised by Thakur's shot-making and the disdain with which he treated the Australian bowlers.

Ashwin: "Those Vivian Richards like cover drives by Shardul Thakur. Especially the one cover drive against Starc on 3rd day's play."

Sridhar: "There was a Caribbean arrogance. He played it thrice. He played it against Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood."

Ashwin: "In fact so to say, we(the dressing room) were like where were you all this while buddy. Who are you, man? The audacity to get off the mark with a 6, with a hook against world number one (Cummins). And the audacity to get to a 50 with a six with long-on on the fence."

Sridhar: "I thought for a moment that it was Virender Sehwag batting out there."

Shardul crunches a "Steve Waugh-like" cover drive says Mike Hussey.Live #AUSvIND: https://t.co/IzttOVtrUu pic.twitter.com/UPEKp8g7gg

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) January 17, 2021

Shardul Thakur and Washington Sundar's partnership helped India cut down Australia's first-innings lead to just 33 runs. Without that partnership, Indian could have been behind the eight ball for the rest of the game.

"His belief sometimes in unexplainable" - Ashwin on Shardul Thakur

Reaching fifty in his style, Shardul Thakur is bossing in Australia. pic.twitter.com/Gv9nGOXeyM

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 17, 2021

R Sridhar and Ashwin also talked about how Shardul Thakur has immense belief in his abilities to fight against any situation.

Sridhar: "His entire game revolved around his belief; 'I will get him out'. He said that he would bowl on the leg and dismiss Steve Smith. He played the 3rd ODI and he dismissed the exact same way as he planned."

Ashwin:" His belief sometimes can be inexplicable and unexplainable. It might look like he has just bowled a full toss to take his wicket, but it's his belief that gets him those wickets. Like I said- It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog."

Playing just his second Test, the Mumbai paceman contributed with both bat and ball in the Gabba Test.

Thakur last played for India in a Test in 2018, and he had a forgettable debut as he injured himself just in his second over.

However, the 29-year-old certainly came up with a memorable performance when he took to the field in the Brisbane Test against Australia.