The Indian team is gearing up to face Australia in the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25. The first Test begins on November 22 at the iconic Optus Stadium in Perth. As excitement builds, India’s squad announcement has sparked discussions, with former cricketer Harbhajan Singh raising concerns over the omission of key players.
Harbhajan questioned the absence of all-rounder Shardul Thakur from the squad. With Nitish Kumar Reddy being the sole pace-bowling all-rounder, Harbhajan expressed doubts about whether the team management made the right call. Thakur’s exclusion is particularly surprising given his crucial contributions in the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, where his all-around performance was pivotal in India’s historic win at the Gabba.
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“You needed an all-rounder like Hardik Pandya, but he’s not available. Nitish Kumar Reddy seems like the only option now. But where is Shardul Thakur? We started investing in him over the last two to three years, and now he’s suddenly not in the squad? You need players like Shardul or Hardik in a series of this magnitude,” Harbhajan Singh shared during an interaction with Jatin Sapru on the latter’s YouTube channel.
Harbhajan also shed light on Reddy’s potential role in the series. Drawing parallels to Sourav Ganguly’s ability to chip in with valuable overs while bolstering the batting lineup, he suggested Reddy could contribute similarly.
“Reddy might just bowl a few overs, like what Ganguly used to do. If he manages to take a wicket or two, that would be a bonus. But it’s a lot to ask from someone new to the Test arena,” Harbhajan Singh added.
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Nitish Kumar Reddy, a 20-year-old from Andhra Pradesh, is a promising talent but has yet to play a Test match. Although he recently debuted for India in T20Is against Bangladesh, his first-class stats are impressive: 56 wickets in 23 matches, coupled with his ability to score vital runs. As he prepares to make his mark on the biggest stage, all eyes will be on how he handles the pressure against a formidable Australian side in their backyard.
