Shardul Thakur Is R Ashwin’s Competition, Not Ravindra Jadeja – Deep Dasgupta
Ravichandran Ashwin, who was in supreme form in Australia and at home against England, was dropped from the eleven for the Trent Bridge Test.
The Ashwin vs Jadeja debate is catching fire with each passing day and now after Sanjay Manjrekar, former Indian wicket-keeper Deep Dasgupta came up with his opinion regarding the playing XI, India should pick for the Lord’s Test.
However, unlike Sanjay Manjrekar, Dasgupta kept persisting with the same playing XI for team India for Lord’s Test, starting from August 12. Not just this, the former Indian cricketer even said that the ongoing ‘Ashwin vs Jadeja’ should not exist as Ravichandran Ashwin’s competition is not with Ravindra Jadeja but Shardul Thakur.
Notably, Ravichandran Ashwin, who was in an excellent form in Australia and even performed well in the county match he played ahead of the series was dropped from the playing XI for the Trent Bridge Test, as Ravindra Jadeja was chosen as the spin-bowling all-rounder and Shardul Thakur as the pace-bowling all-rounder.
Justifying Jadeja’s selection, Dasgupta said that the left-hander’s supreme batting technique in overseas conditions earned the nod from the management and Shardul Thakur was picked owing to the pace-friendly conditions in Nottingham.
“Lot of people have been asking this question and talking about how there is a competition between Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin. But personally, I think it is not between Jadeja and Ashwin, it’s more between Shardul and Ashwin. That’s more of a tactical decision that the Indian management needs to make,” Deep Dasgupta said on BBC’s Test Match Special podcast.
Both Jadeja and Thakur even justified their selection in the playing XI as Jadeja scored a crucial fifty in India’s first innings, helping his side to take a considerable lead, while Thakur picked up 4 wickets in the game, including that of Joe Root in the first innings.
The first Test ended in a draw, now both the teams would head to the home of Cricket, Lord’s for the second Test, starting from August 12.
Deep Dasgupta stated that team India should stick to the same playing XI and he would be surprised if Virat Kohli brings any changes in the composition.
“I would be really surprised if they make any changes for the second Test match. As far as fast bowling is concerned, they have bowled a total of 150 overs, that’s all right. Also, the fact that there was this one month break before this Test match. They have had enough time to relax and chill and rest,” the former wicket keeper stated.
