Ajinkya Rahane Advocates for Enhanced Role of Shardul Thakur in India's Bowling Lineup

India's Struggles in the First Test Against England

In the opening Test match at Headingley, India faced a disappointing defeat by 5 wickets, as England successfully chased down a daunting target of 371 runs. The Indian bowling attack struggled to make an impact, leading to questions about their selection and strategy. A key player under scrutiny was Shardul Thakur, whose limited contributions with the ball became a focal point of discussion. Former Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane has now shared his insights on how to better utilize Shardul in the upcoming matches of the series.

Shardul Thakur's Underwhelming Performance

During the Headingley Test, Shardul Thakur's performance was lackluster, as he failed to take any wickets in the first innings and managed only two in the second. Notably, he bowled just 96 deliveries, significantly fewer than his teammates Jasprit Bumrah (262 balls), Mohammed Siraj (246), and Prasidh Krishna (210). Interestingly, it was spinner Ravindra Jadeja who led the bowling effort for India, delivering 282 balls.

Rahane's Recommendations for Shardul's Role

Rahane believes that the team management did not fully leverage Shardul's capabilities and suggests that he should be given a more prominent role in the bowling lineup. In a recent YouTube video, Rahane stressed the importance of assigning greater responsibility to Shardul with the ball.

Insights from Ajinkya Rahane

Here is what Rahane said:

“With the duke ball, it generally starts to behave after 10 or 12 overs. If Shardul can start the bowling with Bumrah and Siraj can come in as one change, that will be great. I would like to see Shardul bowling more overs. Give him that freedom, he will get you more wickets,”

Potential of Shardul Thakur

Rahane also highlighted Shardul's diverse skill set and his international track record, asserting that he can be a valuable wicket-taking option if utilized effectively. He expressed that Shardul has not been used to his full potential and suggested that allowing him to bowl more overs, either as a first-change bowler or even with the new ball, could enhance his effectiveness for the team.

“I feel an all-rounder’s role is very important. Shardul Thakur has been an experienced player and has done well in Test cricket overseas. I want to see more overs from Shardul. If the Indian team can use Shardul Thakur in a better way, that will be great. Whatever I have seen with him, he can swing the ball both ways and is a wicket-taker. If Shardul can bowl the first change or even given the new ball he can swing it both ways,”