The Indian team has put in a good performance in the first Test of the ongoing Anderson-Tendulkar trophy against England. From Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rishabh Pant’s centuries in the first innings of the game to Jasprit Bumrah’s excellence with the ball, the Indian team has done a good job in keeping the hosts under control.
However, one of the biggest talking points from the game was the limited number of overs given to Shardul Thakur. It is worth noting that Thakur was just given six overs to bowl in the first innings against England, where he failed to take any wickets and conceded 38 runs in the process.
The decision to let Shardul bowl only six overs did not sit well with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, and he took centre stage and questioned the team management for not utilising Thakur.
"I am thinking about Shardul Thakur's utilization. They have selected him, but haven't shown faith in him. Of course, he bowled a few overs and was very expensive, but then you didn't bowl him at all for long spells. All bowlers bowled 20-plus overs, but Shardul Thakur was in single digits," Chopra said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Chopra opined that India does not have confidence in India
Furthermore, Aakash Chopra talked about how, despite being named in India’s playing XI, it looks like the Indian team does not have enough confidence in Shardul Thakur to get the job done for the side.
"I felt he should have been played. I too had picked him in the XI, but if the Indian team feels that they don't have that much confidence in his bowling, and they have to bat him at No. 8 only, so they don't have that much confidence there also, then they shouldn't play him. Shardul Thakur not being used properly is not a good story at all," he said.