Shubman Gill inherits a side in transition, and there are a few gaping holes India’s new Test captain has to fill in the India vs England series. Gill and coach Gautam Gambhir have remained tight-lipped about the team combination, and a major talking point is emerging two weeks before the IND vs ENG 1st Test. It is expected that one of Shardul Thakur or Nitish Reddy features as the pace bowling all-rounder, but their form is a cause of concern for Shubman Gill.
How have Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy fared in the India A games?
None of India’s pace battery for the England series featured in the A games, except Shardul Thakur and Nitish Reddy. With both their IPL teams out of contention, they travelled with the India A squad to face the England Lions. The duo have featured in both games but have failed to deliver with ball in hand.
Among the players picked, Shardul Thakur is the most experienced pacer in attack. Thakur last played Tests for India in 2022, but forced himself back into contention with a string of strong performances in the Ranji Trophy. However, the Mumbai star did little to trouble the England Lions in the 1st game. He bowled 28 overs, picking up 2 wickets as the hosts plundered 587. Of those strikes, one was of a tailender, Zaman Akhter. He was the only pacer to concede over 100 in a forgettable match for him. With the bat, he hit a quick 27 with four boundaries.
Nitish Reddy smashed a half-century in the second innings, much after a draw seemed like the only plausible result. The 22-year-old bowled 15 overs to pick the final wicket of the innings. Like Thakur, Reddy struggled on a flat surface and was the most expensive among all pacers.
Their fortunes did not turn in the 2nd unofficial test as well. With the bat, Reddy (34) and Thakur (19) did little to avoid a collapse, with India A losing their last 7 wickets for 100 runs. With the ball, at the End of Day 2, they have bowled a combined 12 overs, without a wicket.
Should India play an extra batsman in the XI?
Coach Gautam Gambhir likes to have all-rounders in the mix, but the results have been mixed so far. Thakur and Reddy have not inspired a lot of confidence with their performances in the India A games. India could still persist with them, but that could result in the other pacers doing the bulk of the bowling. That was the case in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with Bumrah eventually suffering a stress fracture in the 5th Test.
Shubman Gill however, could also opt for an extra batter. The presence of Ravindra Jadeja offers a 5th bowling option to the visitors, meaning they could feature a frontline bowler and an extra batsman. That would mean India could play both Karun Nair and Sai Sudharsan, while both Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh play. Dhruv Jurel and Akash Deep also exist as options. That would leave India with a long tail, something they have experimented with on their last tour of England.
It would certainly mean a lopsided team balance for the India vs England series, but it could well be an imperfect solution. Nair smashed a double hundred in the India A while Jurel has hit a hat-trick of 50s. With India’s inexperience batting lineup, some security could come in handy.
Shardul Thakur, Nitish Reddy struggle, should Shubman Gill opt for extra batter? Inside Sport India.
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