Shardul Thakur set for Test comeback with the India Tour of England

The onset of the new WTC Cycle for India is likely to bring a significant breakthrough for pace all-rounder Shardul Thakur. One of the leading elements behind India’s historic Gabba breach in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Thakur lost his place in the team with the new cycle. On the last Australia tour, the board chose to go with the young Nitish Kumar Reddy for the pace all-rounder slot, overlooking Shardul Thakur. However, a remarkable performance for Mumbai in the last domestic season seems to have compelled the BCCI to provide another chance to the seamer. Moreover, Karnataka batter, now with Vidarbha in the domestic circuit, Karun Nair is likely to be included in the India A squad for the England Tour.

Shardul Thakur, Karun Nair set for Test return for the India Tour of England

A derailment to IPL 2025 due to the India-Pakistan conflict has caused hurdles in the set schedule of the board. However, while the board sorts out the revised schedule for the IPL 2025 resumption, work is underway to prepare the squad for the India Tour of England. The new WTC Cycle will kick off on June 20 for India with the 5-match Test series against England. While IPL 2025 will be pushed back due to the one-week halt, the international schedule remains the same for the team. Meanwhile, the BCCI faces the task of first announcing India's Test captain after the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Subsequently, the board would announce the finalised squad for the England Tour.

As per a recentr report, the selectors are close to finalizing the India A squad for the India A tour that will precede the Test series against England. Among the notable names making a return is Karun Nair, while Shardul Thakur is also being considered for a Test comeback. Nair, who last represented India in whites back in 2017, could finally be on the brink of a return. The 32-year-old, famously remembered for his triple hundred against England in 2016, has been in top form during the Ranji Trophy and was instrumental in Vidarbha’s championship-winning run. He also made his mark in the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a string of solid performances.

Meanwhile, Shardul Thakur could be in line to rejoin the senior Test squad, having last played in December 2023 during India’s tour of South Africa. According to the same report, the seam-bowling all-rounder is expected to be directly slotted into the senior squad for the England series. With his ability to contribute both with the ball and the bat, Thakur offers much-needed balance to the team, especially considering his impact during India’s last tour to England in 2021.

The India A squad announcement is expected on May 13, with Abhimanyu Easwaran tipped to captain the side. The A team will take on the England Lions in two four-day matches scheduled between May 30-June 2 and June 6-9. They will then play a final warm-up fixture against the senior Indian team from June 13-16.

The senior Test team itself will be named on May 23, with a new skipper to be appointed following the retirement of Rohit Sharma. Shubman Gill is currently the frontrunner for the captaincy role. With IPL 2025 currently on hold and its playoff structure still uncertain, selectors have been advised to give preference to players not involved in the IPL. Cricketers such as Tanush Kotian, Akash Deep, Baba Indrajith, and Dhruv Jurel are expected to feature in the A setup at various points during the tour.