India vs England: Shubman Gill gets it wrong with Shardul Thakur again?
Shardul Thakur has returned to the Indian lineup for the fourth Test in England. With the pace all-rounder’s comeback, discussions around his limited role with the ball have resurfaced. As India took the field to bowl on Day 2 of the Manchester Test, Thakur once again remained on the fringes. While England’s opening pair, Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, went berserk against the Indian attack, Thakur joined the proceedings late, bowling only five overs in the day.
"It's the captain's decision": Shardul Thakur reflects on his role with the ball in the Manchester Test
At the conclusion of Day 2 of the fourth India vs England Test at Old Trafford, Shardul Thakur opened up about his role with the ball. Having been left out of the India Playing XI for the previous two matches, Thakur was brought back into the side for the Manchester Test after Nitish Kumar Reddy was sidelined due to injury. While Thakur made a notable contribution with the bat, scoring a valuable 41, that effort seemingly wasn’t enough to convince skipper Shubman Gill to give him a more prominent role with the ball.
Despite India sending down 46 overs on Day 2, Thakur bowled just five, the fewest among the pace attack. His brief spell proved expensive, conceding 35 runs at an economy of 7, and he struggled to contain the flow of runs. However, he wasn’t alone in facing difficulties. Fellow pacers Mohammed Siraj and debutant Anshul Kamboj also bore the brunt of England’s aggressive start, with openers Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett going after the bowling from the outset.
When asked about his limited spell, Shardul Thakur subtly directed attention toward captain Shubman Gill. In his short but crisp response, Thakur suggested that such decisions lie entirely with the skipper. The 33-year-old admitted he was ready to bowl more but emphasized that it was not his call to make.
“Giving bowling is the captain’s call. Not in my hands. The captain decides when to give them," Shardul said. “I could have bowled two overs more today but that is the captain’s call. It is difficult to find rhythm but I try and use my experience,” he added.
England closed Day 2 of the Manchester Test on 225 for 2, with Ollie Pope and Joe Root steady at the crease. Crawley and Duckett had earlier provided a blistering start, narrowing India’s first-innings lead before the tea break. Both the English openers, however, fell short of reaching their centuries. Crawley was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja at 84, and Duckett became the maiden Test wicket of Anshul Kamboj, departing at 94 in the final session.
