Former India batter Navjot Singh Sidhu didn't hold back as he criticised the move of bringing in Shardul Thakur into the playing XI for the Manchester Test. Labelling him a ‘bits and pieces’ cricketer, Sidhu said having such players in the starting XI won't help the side win many games abroad. The Mumbai all-rounder was included in the lineup after an injury ruled Nitish Kumar Reddy out of the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
India made three changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test, bringing in Sai Sudharsan, Shardul and Anshul Kamboj for Karun Nair, Nitish and Akash Deep.
At stumps on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, India's score read 264/4 with Jadeja and Shardul unbeaten on 19 each. However, Sidhu believes even if Shardul goes on to score a half-century, it won't justify his selection.
Shardul had played the series opener in Headingley; however, he was underbowled by skipper Shubman Gill as he got just 16 overs, taking two wickets.
“One area of problem, even if Shardul makes a fifty, at that number eight position, bits-and-pieces cricketers do well in one-day cricket, but in Test cricket, you always need specialists,” said Sidhu on his YouTube channel.
“If you could bring Shardul the bowler at number eight, then I would agree this is the right selection. You do not bowl him enough, and then to increase the batting, you compromise with your bowling,” he added.
Sidhu labelled Shardul a “bits and pieces” cricketer, saying the team management has compromised in the bowling department by boosting their batting.
“Bits-and-pieces cricketers, I don’t think, will ever win you games abroad. Even Jadeja could not pick wickets in the first two Tests with the rough. Batting, fielding, as an all-rounder, par excellence,” Sidhu said.
“What is the purpose here? The guy at number eight, do you want him to give you five wickets or batting depth? If you want batting depth and that would win you games, then would those 200 runs (193 at Lord’s) not have been chased? If seven can’t do it, eight also won’t. I have been repeating this point time and again. I feel this is again a compromise, and I feel it will not go in favour of India,” Sidhu added.
With Rishabh Pant ruled out of the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy due to a toe fracture, the onus is now on Jadeja and Shardul to help India start well on the second day.
Pant had suffered an injury on his foot after he inside-edged a reverse sweep onto his foot. There was immediate bleeding and swelling, forcing the wicketkeeper-batter to go off the field.
