
Shardul Thakur had a poor game in the first Test against England in Headingley, Leeds, despite having good form from the Ranji Trophy and the Intra-squad matches. The lack of confidence he gave as a bowler for the Indian captain and his inability to score runs put India on the back foot in the first Test.
As the tour is long, there will be a lot of time to assess things. However, it’s wise to give chances to players who have a better form and proven themselves in the recent past, rather than the ones who are not in form and don’t give enough confidence for the skipper.
Here are the reasons why Shardul must be dropped from the team –
No contribution with the bat so far
The main reason behind Shardul’s inclusion in the side was his contribution with the bat. However, in the first Test, Thakur was a part of two collapses and did nothing with the bat. In the first innings, Shardul was dismissed for 1(8). In the second innings, the right-handed batter perished for 4(12). In total, he scored 5 runs in the first Test, which didn’t help the team.
Not operating at a good pace.
While he was a failure with the bat, Shardul’s bowling was not impressive either. On slow English pitches, pace plays a role in picking wickets. With the pace (120s to low 130s) at which Thakur operates, it’s practically highly difficult to take wickets with the old ball.
The presence of better bowlers in the squad
Since Shardul hasn’t contributed as a batter, his bowling becomes questionable. There are bowlers in the squad, such as Arshdeep Singh, Akash Deep, and Kuldeep Yadav, who could perform better with the ball than Thakur.
Disclaimer: This Exclusive News is based on the author’s understanding, analysis, and instinct. As you review this information, consider the points mentioned and form your own conclusions.