'When I started bowling there was a length somewhere in those 22-yards from where the ball was kicking in (off) and also was staying low a bit. So, all I did was to try to hit that spot and hit that crack.'
Shardul Thakur had spotted a crack in between back of length to the good length area and was trying to hit that region to get the ball back into the right-handers.
The pacer’s maiden five-wicket haul put India in pole position after the second day in the second Test, in Johannesburg, as they restricted South Africa's first innings lead to only 27 runs and ended the day on 85 for 2 in the second innings.
"When I started bowling there was a length somewhere in those 22-yards from where the ball was kicking in (off) and also was staying low a bit. So, all I did was to try to hit that spot and hit that crack,” said the pacer from Palghar, near Mumbai, who picked a career-best 7 for 61 in South Africa’s first innings on Tuesday.
The key was to hit the right areas, as the Centurion and Johannesburg tracks offered help for fast bowlers.
"See both the venues, even when we played in Centurion and here in Joburg (Johannesburg) at the Wanderers, there is and there was some help in the pitch. So all you had to do is keep coming hard at the batsman and bowl in the right spots. I was trying to do the same," Thakur said.
He was quick to add that India still can't be termed favourites to win the match.
"The current match-situation, if you see, it's tricky. The lead that we take from here and the bigger the target we set… that is good, because as the game progresses, and we all know that last two days it is not that easy to bat on the pitch.
"So, from our team's point of view, the bigger target we set, and take the game long, that is good, because there is a lot of time left in the game."
Thakur may have recorded his best-ever figures in all forms of red ball cricket but the Mumbai speedster is confident that he can better his personal best.
"It is my best figures, but the best is always yet to come, I would say."
He once again spoke about his childhood coach Dinesh Lad's contribution in his growth as a player.
During his school days Shardul had stayed at the Lad residence as it was difficult to travel from Palghar to Borivali every day.
"Yes, obviously, he (Dinesh Lad) had a lot of impact on my cricketing career; he is a second parent to me. He spotted me when no one else did and provided that exposure, offering me admission in the school (Swami Vivekanand International) in Borivali. Since then my life has changed."
