London, June 17 -- As India prepares for a much-anticipated five-match Test series in England, memories of the thrilling 2021 tour still linger, especially for Shardul Thakur, who played a pivotal role in that campaign. The last time these two sides met in the longest format, the series ended in a 2-2 draw, with Thakur delivering one of the standout performances in the fourth Test at the Kennington Oval, helping India secure a memorable 157-run victory.

Now, part of the current Indian squad once again, Thakur looks back fondly at that series.

"I think the 2021 series, where we won a couple of games, the first one we could have won too, but unfortunately it rained on the last day and we couldn't chase down the total. Then we won at Lord'...