Former Australia pace terror Jeff Thomson dished out just the kind of tonic young Shardul Thakur needed before undertaking his maiden tour with the Indian team. Mumbai's Thakur (24) was picked recently in India's Test team for next month's tour of the Caribbean.

Mumbai's Shardul Thakur in full flow during a Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium last year. Thakur is part of Virat Kohli's Test team which will tour the West Indies. Pic/mid-day archives

Thomson, the face of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA)–IDBI Federal Life Insurance Bowling Foundation, yesterday advised Thakur to be aggressive especially at times when wickets are hard to come by.

"He (Thomson) told me to be aggressive - aggressive in my mind - in order to get batsmen out especially when I am not getting wickets. That is when your character is tested, he said. He asked me to continue doing things which have worked for me," Thakur told mid-day, after receiving a memento from Thomson for being picked in the Indian team yesterday.

Thomson wants Thakur to study the West Indies batsmen carefully and spot their weakness. "Shardul has lot of talent. He is as good as anyone else. If he can bowl as well as he has done here, he can clean up a lot of batsmen. Don't be surprised if he gets a game and does better than the others," said Thomson.