Shardul Thakur stakes claim for spot in India XI for first test with 122* in intra-squad match

Shardul Thakur last played a test match for India in December 2023.

Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur has made a huge noise ahead of India’s first test against England, which will be played at Headingley which starting on June 20. This came after Thakur smashed 122* in the India vs. India A intra-squad match which was played in Kent.

Shardul, who last represented India in a test match during the 2023 Boxing Day test against South Africa at Newlands in Cape Town, earned his way back into the test squad thanks to outstanding performances for Mumbai in the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy.

He finished as the second-highest run-scorer for Mumbai with 505 runs in Ranji Trophy 2024-25 and took 35 wickets across nine matches.

Shardul made his test debut for India against the West Indies in Hyderabad on October 12, 2018. In the 11 tests he has played so far, he has taken 31 wickets, including one five-wicket haul. With the bat, Shardul has accumulated 331 runs in 18 innings, including four half-centuries, showcasing his all-around abilities.

Shardul Thakur smashes unbeaten century in intra-squad match

Shardul Thakur struggled with injury after his last test for India, and in the meantime, Nitish Kumar Reddy usurped his position as the pacer all-rounder in the Indian team. Reddy also smashed a brilliant century in the Australia test tour.

However, as reported by the Indian Express, the 33-year-old right-handed batsman from Mumbai scored an unbeaten 122 runs. Although Shardul struggled with the ball during the two unofficial tests for India A against the England Lions earlier this month, he showcased impressive bowling skills on day 1 of the intra-squad match.

On day 1 of the intra-squad match, India’s new test captain Shubman Gill and opener KL Rahul both scored half-centuries. On day 2, Sarfaraz Khan struck a brisk century off 76 balls.

While Rahul is confirmed to open for India in the upcoming test series, Gill is likely to bat at No. 4 during the first away series of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle. However, Sarfaraz is not included in the 18-member test squad.

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