News
‘It’s going to be a toss-up b/w Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja’ – Sanjay Bangar
By SMCS - Feb 22, 2022 4:38 pm
Views 86

Former India coach Sanjay Bangar believes there will be a toss-up between Ravindra Jadeja and Shardul Thakur for a place in India’s T20I team. Jadeja has recovered from his injury and he has returned to the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I and Test series against Sri Lanka. Thakur, meanwhile, has been given a break for both series as well.

shardul thakur
Shardul Thakur bowled a brilliant spell

During a discussion on the Star Sports show Game Plan, Sanjay Bangar said: “The more I think of it, the more it seems that it’s going to be a toss-up between Shardul Thakur and Ravindra Jadeja. That could be one of the reasons why Shardul Thakur has been rested when Jadeja has regained full fitness.”

READ HERE: India will struggle if Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma don’t score, says Mohammad Hafeez

Bangar again explained: “Those two players have been doing the all-rounder’s role commendably for India over the last year or so, both with bat and ball. Ravindra Jadeja’s batting has been on the rise for the last couple of years and him being a left-hander can add that right-left sort of combination in the lower order as well, which the team has been looking for. I would say Jadeja is a straight swap for the position vacated by Shardul Thakur.”

Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja has seen a rapid rise as a cricketer over the last few years. And, a fully-fit Jadeja might be one of the first names included in any Indian playing XI right now as well. Sanjay Bangar replied in the affirmative when he was asked if Jadeja’s bowling helps the captain as well.

READ HERE: Gary Kirsten all set to work with Hardik Pandya

“Certainly, he always does the job for the team even in the middle overs and at times, he has been asked to do that job in the first six, not very often but at times he has done that really well. He brings a lot of value to the team in terms of him being a multi-skilled cricketer and that’s what the trend suggests also that most T20 teams would like to have players who are multi-skilled, who can contribute with bat, ball and in the field as well. I believe there is no better cricketer than Ravindra Jadeja who can fit that bill brilliantly,” Sanjay Bangar concluded.