Former India player turned commentator Aakash Chopra has said that Shardul Thakur would be in contention for a place in Team India’s squad for the Test series against England as well. He added that he was missed in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 where India lost. Thakur, who scored 51 and 119 and registered figures of 2/39 in the first innings in Mumbai’s recent Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir, might be in the selectors’ radar as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra’, he said, “It seems like he will come as well. It seems now we missed him slightly in the BGT. He is fired up a little, doesn’t have an IPL contract, and is out of the team. He bowls decently and is a crisis man with the bat. He scored runs recently and in both innings. He almost made his team win. One man alone cannot make his team win, but he was good. He has also done well in England previously. So Shardul Thakur is in the race for England. You need to play bowlers who can bat but also do proper bowling,” he observed.
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In the same video, Aakash Chopra was also asked whether Mayank Yadav and Umran Malik should play Tests for Team India as well.
“While that is correct, both aren’t playing a lot of first-class cricket. Mayank Yadav is playing very little and Umran Malik was specially sent to play. He was told he won’t be considered if he doesn’t play. We want their names to be there in the Indian team’s next generation of fast bowlers because they are fast, and you cannot teach pace to anyone,” he added.
“Either you are a fast bowler or you are a medium pacer. They have the pace but they will have to play first-class cricket regularly. Play an entire season and pick up 50-55 wickets, you will be there in the Indian team in all three formats. If your body is not going to last a Ranji Trophy season, you will break down as soon as you reach international cricket,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
