Former India player Navjot Singh Sidhu has commented on the inclusion of Shardul Thakur in the playing XI in the Manchester Test on Wednesday. After India lost all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy to injury ahead of the fourth Test, India picked Shardul, who had a limited role as well. However, he came to bat at No. 7, and with limited bowling, Sidhu questioned the purpose of his inclusion as well.

“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. 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 in order to increase the batting you compromise with your bowling. 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 on his YouTube channel.

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“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 further added.

However, Shardul Thakur has played more Tests in England than any other country, scoring 197* runs in 6 games while picking up 12 wickets at an average of 38.33 as well.