NEW DELHI: Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has questioned the Indian team management’s decision to field Shardul Thakur in the playing XI for the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, taking a sharp dig at the “bits-and-pieces” approach in Test cricket.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Following Nitish Kumar Reddy’s injury, India roped in Thakur, but Sidhu remained unconvinced. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former opener said: “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.”
Sidhu argued that India has been using Thakur more for batting depth than for bowling impact.“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,” he said.
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He added that even someone of Ravindra Jadeja’s quality had struggled to take wickets in the earlier Tests despite favourable conditions.“Even Jadeja could not pick wickets in the first two Tests with the rough. Batting, fielding, as an all-rounder, par excellence,” he said, praising Jadeja’s overall value but stressing the need for wicket-taking bowlers.Sidhu doubled down on his criticism by questioning the purpose of having a batting all-rounder at No. 8.“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,” he asserted.
Reflecting on Day 1, where India ended strongly at 264/4, Sidhu admitted India dominated.“The first day will go in India’s name. They have dominated 70 percent of the series but are still 2-1 down. This is the lack of experience — and you won’t find experience in a mall or market,” he remarked.
