Shubman Gill for handing the ball to Shardul in the 40th over of England’s first innings, well after their batsmen, including Joe Root, had settled in.
India’s tour of England began poorly, with a five-wicket defeat in the first Test at Headingley, Leeds. Despite strong batting efforts, the visitors suffered as a result of poor bowling and fielding. However, one move that drew a lot of notice was Shardul Thakur’s delayed use of the ball, as former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin pointed out.
India scored 471 runs in the first innings and appeared to be in a terrific position. However, frequent lower-order failures and an uninspired performance with the ball helped the home team win the game. Ashwin chastised newly chosen captain
“You included Shardul Thakur in the team but did not give him a ball in the first 40 overs. Joe Root was also batting. And Shardul has a very good match against Joe Root. So, if Shardul Thakur’s role isn’t diminished, I truly rate him as a cricketer. He’s nabbed Ben Duckett and Harry Brook. He is capable of achieving results. But he has to deploy them at the appropriate time. But if this is how he is going to be employed, I don’t think he is making any sense. Because he has to be given the ball in order to make a difference. “He didn’t bowl much in the first 40 overs,” Ashwin explained on his YouTube account.
Thakur was brought on in the 19th over of the second innings, however he only bowled 10 overs. Despite taking two wickets, many believed these were fortuitous breaks, and his role remained limited. Ashwin highlighted the larger issue of India’s underutilisation of a wicket-taker.
“He didn’t bowl very much in the second innings either. Obviously, much more than the first inning. So his contribution was extremely restricted, and I believe it is unfair to argue about what he did,” Ashwin remarked.
Rahane can swing the ball both ways and take wickets.
Former India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane had similar concerns, stating that Shardul should have come as a first-change or possibly a new-ball bowler, given India’s inability to capture wickets early.
“I believe an all-rounder’s role is crucial. Shardul Thakur is an experienced player who has performed well in Test cricket overseas. I’d want to see more overs from Shardul. If the Indian team can better utilise Shardul Thakur, it will be fantastic. Whatever I’ve seen of him, he can swing the ball both ways and is a wicket-taker. Rahane remarked on his YouTube channel that if Shardul bowls the first change or is given the fresh ball, he can swing it both ways.
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