Team India have lost to New Zealand in the inaugural edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) final. Following the defeat, the team selection has come under the scanner. While Hardik Pandya was not in the squad, many believed all-rounder Shardul Thakur could have been a better option but he too wasn’t in the squad as well. And, former selector Sarandeep Singh said that the management should groom someone like Thakur.
“You can’t be relying only on Hardik anymore. You don’t know when he will be fit enough to bowl in all formats so someone like Shardul needs to be groomed or even Vijay Shankar or Shivam Dube are there,” Sarandeep Singh said to PTI.
Sarandeep Singh further added that someone like the young pace bowler Mohammad Siraj should be in the team for the upcoming series against England.
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“There will be rotation in that series. It is the right time to blood in Siraj and give him as many games as you can. He is bowling well. If there is a long gap, he would find it tough to find the right length straightaway. A little flexibility is needed. You play your two spinners but if the conditions suit the pacers then play the extra seamer,” again shared Sarandeep Singh.
On the other hand, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar has said that India should take a call between Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal for the opening slot alongside Rohit Sharma. He said that Gill has no footwork on which he needs to work on.
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“Mayank Agarwal has done well as an opener, has hit double century twice. It’s a good news that BCCI and especially Jay Shah has taken the initiative that India will play county matches. You can decide it there that who among Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal will open or India. Send both of them to open together, Rohit Sharma is a certainty and so he can be rested. The match will tell show has the better technique for English conditions,” Sunil Gavaskar told Sports Tak.
