Shardul Thakur‘s innings, which began late on Day Two when he remained unbeaten on 19, culminated in a composed and authoritative century on Day Three. Marked by crisp stroke play and Shardul Thakur‘s trademark counter-attacking flair, the knock has handed the team management a welcome selection headache ahead of the Headingley Test starting 20 June.
Team India’s intra-squad practice match at Beckenham, Kent, was called off early on Day Three, following a stunning all-round performance from Shardul Thakur. Turning out for India A, Shardul Thakur made a compelling case for his inclusion in the playing XI for the upcoming Test series against England by smashing an unbeaten 122 against a high-quality bowling attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh.
Before his exploits with the bat, Shardul Thakur had also impressed with the ball, troubling top-order batters such as KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Karun Nair during India A’s bowling stint. Renowned for his knack of delivering breakthroughs at crucial moments, Shardul Thakur once again lived up to his reputation as a reliable all-rounder.
The match was played behind closed doors, with no live telecast or official scorecards released. However, reports indicate several standout performances over the three-day simulation. KL Rahul and Shubman Gill both struck fifties on Day One, while Sarfaraz Khan made headlines with a blistering 101 off just 76 balls on Day Two, featuring 15 fours and two sixes – a knock that further cements his growing reputation in the Test arena.
Emerging batter Sai Sudharsan also contributed with a handy 38, as the Shubman Gill-led India side completed its only warm-up fixture ahead of the five-match series.
Shardul Thakur’s experience in England gives him an upper hand to be in Indian Playing XI.
India’s first Test against England at Headingley, Leeds approaching on June 20, witnesses a selection battle between Shardul Thakur and Nitish Kumar Reddy. While both players are in the squad, Shardul Thakur’s unbeaten 122 in the recent intra-squad practice match provides compelling evidence for his inclusion.
Shardul Thakur’s proven track record in England stands out. He has played four of his 11 Tests in the country, including the 2021 tour where he finished with 122 runs at an average of 24.40 and eight wickets at a bowling average of 33.38. His performance data shows consistent success in extracting seam movement and swing in English conditions.
The statistics from recent performances reveal Shardul Thakur’s bowling advantage. During the first India A vs England Lions unofficial Test in Canterbury (May 30-June 2), Shardul Thakur bowled 28 overs—nearly double Nitish Reddy’s workload—while extracting more movement and bounce. In overall Test cricket,Shardul Thakur’s 31 wickets at 28.38 from 11 matches contrasts with Reddy’s limited bowling experience in his five Tests to date, making Shardul Thakur the more proven fifth bowling option for English conditions.
Shardul Thakur’s 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season with Mumbai was exceptional—505 runs from 12 innings including a century and four fifties, plus 35 wickets at an average of 22 across nine matches. His century in the practice match, scored against a decent bowling attack, demonstrates his ability to handle pressure. Veteran Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane is in all praise of this gutsy all rounder and believes if given chance Shardul Thakur will excel in English conditions.
Ajinkya Rahane is in all praise for all rounder Shardul Thakur
Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has showered praise on returning all-rounder Shardul Thakur ahead of India’s first Test in the five-match 2025 series against England. The series begins on Friday, June 20, at Headingley, Leeds. This marks Shardul Thakur’s return to the Test side, with his last appearance in the format dating back to December 2023 against South Africa at Centurion. The 33-year-old earned his recall on the back of impressive performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket.
On Thursday, June 19, just a day before the first Test, Rahane praised the all-rounder, calling him someone who always steps up in crucial situations. In a YouTube video shared on his channel, @ajinkyarahane88, the 37-year-old said:
“Firstly, I’m really happy that he’s back in the team. He’s done really well for the Indian team in the Test format, and as I said, I’m really happy to see him back in the Test squad. He has performed really well in the domestic season — he’s a wicket-taker and contributes in crunch situations.”
“He has done really well for Mumbai; whenever we were in trouble, he scored runs and picked up wickets for us. So I think Shardul’s inclusion in the team is really good, really positive, and I’m looking forward to his all-round performance in this upcoming India-England series,” he added.
Shardul Thakur has played 11 Tests for India, picking up 31 wickets at an average of 28.38 and a strike rate of 46.7. He has also made valuable contributions with the bat lower down the order, scoring 331 runs, including four fifties.
In the same video, Ajinkya Rahane also explained how Shardul Thakur can be used most effectively, having captained him for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. The right-handed batter said:
“I think for Shardul, you just have to give him that freedom and clarity about the plans you have for him, and then give him a free hand. He has the ability and the skills. Whenever he’s bowling, as I said, he’s a wicket-taker.”
“Whenever there’s a partnership, you bring in Shardul and he will get you that breakthrough. If the batting team is in trouble, Shardul will go out there and do his best to contribute with the bat and get the team out of trouble. That’s what he did in Australia, as we all remember, and even for Mumbai — whenever we were in trouble, he performed really well both as a batter and a bowler,” he continued.
Playing under Ajinkya Rahane for Mumbai in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, Shardul Thakur took 35 wickets in nine matches at an average of 22.62. He also scored 505 runs at an average of 42.08, including four fifties and a century.
As a more experienced and reliable bowler suitable for English conditions, Shardul Thakur’s ability to swing the ball with gentle pace makes him ideal to support the frontline pace trio. For a team in transition with many players experiencing English conditions for the first time, Shardul Thakur’s experience and recent form make him the logical choice for Headingley Test.
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