ENG vs IND: Ravi Ashwin slams India for not utilising Shardul Thakur properly in the first test

Shardul Thakur picked two wickets in the first test at Headingley.

Former Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin has criticised India test captain Shubman Gill for not utilising Shardul Thakur properly during the first test against England at Headingley, Leeds. India lost the opening test by five wickets after failing to defend a 371-run target in the second innings.

Gill did not introduce Thakur early in the first innings and gave him less overs. The right-arm seamer bowled six overs and leaked 38 runs during his spell and went wicketless. In the second innings, he delivered 10 overs and picked two crucial wickets of Harry Brook and Ben Duckett.

Picking two back-to-back wickets in the second innings, Thakur raised some hopes of India’s comeback in the game. However, India eventually lost the encounter after failing to get more wickets.

Ravi Ashwin slams India for not utilizing Shardul Thakur properly in first test

While speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin slammed India’s plan of not bringing Thakur into the bowling attack in the first 40 overs in the first innings. He also added that Gill failed to use him at the right time.

“You have taken Shardul Thakur in the team and didn’t give him a ball in the first 40 overs. And Joe Root was batting. And Shardul has a very decent match-up against Joe Root. So, if Shardul Thakur’s role is not less, then I genuinely rate Shardul as a cricketer,” he said.

“He has caught Ben Duckett and Harry Brook. He can make things happen. But he has to use them at the right time. But if this is going to be the way he is going to be used, I don’t think he is really making any sense. Because he has to be given the ball for him to make a difference. He didn’t bowl that much in the first 40 overs,” he further added.

Ashwin also feels that it is wrong to slam Thakur for his bowling performance as he got very limited overs to deliver in the Headingley test.

“He didn’t bowl that much in the second innings either. Obviously, much more than the first innings. So, his role was very limited and I think it is very unfair to raise an argument on what he did,” Ashwin concluded.

Jasprit Bumrah was the only Indian bowler who impressed in the opening game with his five-wicket haul in the first innings. However, he went wicketless in the second innings as England batters played against him with caution. Other bowlers failed to support Bumrah in the match.

Meanwhile, India and England will now clash in the second test at Edgbaston, Birmingham. The encounter will commence on July 2. Jofra Archer has been added to England’s squad for the second test. The Shubman Gill & Co. are highly likely to make some changes in their bowling unit in the next game.

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