Shardul Thakur called 'bits and pieces cricketer' in brutal assessment: 'Won't win you games abroad, even Jadeja...'
India made three changes to their playing XI for the fourth Test, bringing in Sai Sudharsan, Shardul and Anshul Kamboj for Karun Nair, Nitish and Akash Deep.
At stumps on Day 1 of the Manchester Test, India's score read 264/4 with Jadeja and Shardul unbeaten on 19 each. However, Sidhu believes even if Shardul goes on to score a half-century, it won't justify his selection.
Shardul had played the series opener in Headingley; however, he was underbowled by skipper Shubman Gill as he got just 16 overs, taking two wickets.
'One area of problem, even if Shardul makes a fifty, at that number eight position, bits-and-pieces cricketers do well in one-day cricket, but in Test cricket, you always need specialists,' said Sidhu on his YouTube channel.
Also Read: Rishabh Pant suffers fractured toe, ruled out of India vs England Test series
'If you could bring Shardul the bowler at number eight, then I would agree this is the right selection. You do not bowl him enough, and then in order to increase the batting, you compromise with your bowling,' he added.
'Bits and pieces cricketer'
Sidhu labelled Shardul a 'bits and pieces' cricketer, saying the team management has compromised in the bowling department by boosting their batting.
'Bits-and-pieces cricketers, I don't think, will ever win you games abroad. Even Jadeja could not pick wickets in the first two Tests with the rough. Batting, fielding, as an all-rounder, par excellence,' Sidhu said.
'What is the purpose here? The guy at number eight, do you want him to give you five wickets or batting depth? If you want batting depth and that would win you games, then would those 200 runs (193 at Lord's) not have been chased? If seven can't do it, eight also won't. I have been repeating this point time and again. I feel this is again a compromise, and I feel it will not go in favour of India,' Sidhu added.
With Rishabh Pant ruled out of the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy due to a toe fracture, the onus is now on Jadeja and Shardul to help India start off well on the second day.
Pant had suffered an injury on his foot after he inside-edged a reverse sweep onto his foot. There was immediate bleeding and swelling, forcing the wicketkeeper-batter to go off the field.
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