Pace bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur is set to make a Test return for India on the upcoming England tour, after not being in the red-ball scheme for nearly 18 months. Thakur’s red-ball form for Mumbai during the domestic season, combined with India’s need for a fourth pacer during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, almost sealed his return ahead of the England tour and would form a potent pace attack with the likes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna, among others.
Thakur displayed good bowling form for the Lucknow Super Giants after going unsold but the team later dropped him. Thakur withdrew from a County contract for Essex in a surprising call, to be part of the IPL as the red-ball experience in the County Championship would put him in good stead for a return in Tests in England.
According to a Cricbuzz report, Thakur’s return seems imminent, but Shreyas Iyer’s situation remains uncertain. Iyer is at an all-time high, having led his teams to victory in the Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, IPL, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and Champions Trophy over the last 15 months, with a couple of them as captain. He regained his central contract and has been outstanding as both a captain and a batter for the Punjab Kings in the ongoing IPL.
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Iyer’s Return Depends on Kohli’s Decision; India Faces Leadership Changes
Iyer visibly has tweaked his technique and is able to counter the short-pitched bowling better, however, his place in the squad will depend mainly on which way the Virat Kohli wind blows. If Kohli decides to stay, contrary to several reports, Iyer might have to wait for his Test return, but if the former India captain stays adamant in his call of Test retirement, the Mumbai batter is in with a chance to return to the red-ball side, which will be in desperate need of some experience in England.
Rohit Sharma‘s Test retirement and now reports of Kohli also shutting the red shop might leave India with just two major experienced heads in Tests in the form of Ravindra Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah, with Shubman Gill being the frontrunner for captaincy.