End of the road for Shardul Thakur in the India vs England series? Calls grow louder to drop the all-rounder

The opening Test at Headingley had not even reached its conclusion when Michael Atherton called for India to reconsider playing Shardul Thakur again. Until the very end of the first India vs England match at Headingley, the pace all-rounder had failed to make any impact. On the final day, Atherton was clear in his opinion: if Shardul didn't strike soon, Leeds could perhaps become his last appearance in the series. However, immediately after Atherton's harsh analysis, Shardul responded. He picked up Ben Duckett and Harry Brook off consecutive deliveries, the first denting England’s charge and the second raising hopes.

Ben Duckett, cruising on 149, was trapped into an outside off delivery as the in-form batter saw an opportunity to go big. However, it didn't go all the way over as what looked like a boundary ball ended up floating straight to cover. Substitute fielder Nitish Kumar Reddy flew to his left and plucked a brilliant catch out of the air. It wasn’t an exceptional delivery, but it did the job.

In walked Harry Brook next, who barely had time to settle. A ball down the leg side, more of a strangle than a setup, brushed his glove and landed safely in Rishabh Pant’s gloves. Two balls, two wickets. Neither delivery looked like it deserved a scalp, but Shardul walked away with a double-strike. However, remove these two dismissals, and his numbers tell a more brutal story. In the first innings, he gave away 38 runs in six wicketless overs. In the second, 52 runs in ten overs, with those two wickets his only reward. The economy rate north of five an over is alarming, especially in Test cricket.

Sanjay Manjrekar calls for dropping Shardul Thakur from the combination for the next India vs England Test

The inclusion of Shardul Thakur in the Playing XI for the first India vs England Test was not just for his bowling. His ability to chip in with the bat has often earned him a place, particularly in SENA conditions. However, in Headingley, that argument didn’t hold either. He managed just 1 run in the first innings and 4 in the second. While he has had standout moments with the bat in the past, notably in Australia and England, his current average of 18 doesn't do much to inspire faith.

This mixed bag prompted sharp criticism from former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar. Speaking after the match, Manjrekar was clear in his recommendation saying that Shardul Thakur should be left out of the combination for the second Test in Birmingham. According to Manjrekar, it’s time for India to prioritise a specialist bowler over a bits-and-pieces cricketer.

India do have a like-for-like replacement in the young Nitish Kumar Reddy who showed his tenacity in the Border Gavaskar Trophy down under, his debut Test series. However, Manjrekar believes India would be better off bringing in a specialist like Kuldeep Yadav. The wrist-spinner offers variety and control, something India sorely lacked at Headingley beyond the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah.

"I'm sorry but Shardul Thakur has to go out," Manjrekar said. “I think Kuldeep Yadav has to come back. I’m sorry to say, but that is one change India will have to make. As for Nitish Kumar Reddy, I backed him for the first Test purely based on what he did in Australia. It’s an unpopular choice because when he comes in, the balance does get affected a bit," he added.

"Pick your best bowlers, irrespective of the conditions. You don’t have the luxury of someone like Mohammed Shami available, or the full-strength pace battery, so I’d go one seamer short and bring Kuldeep Yadav into the XI," Manjrekar further noted.