India Star Called 'Bits And Pieces Cricketer' In Brutal Take: 'Even Ravindra Jadeja...'
Navjot Singh Sidhu was not happy with the decision to include Shardul Thakur in the playing XI for the fourth Test encounter against England at Old Trafford.
- Navjot Singh Sidhu criticised Shardul Thakur's inclusion as an all-rounder in the fourth Test
- “Bits-and-pieces cricketers do well in ODI cricket, but in Test cricket, you always need specialists”: Sidhu
- Sidhu argued bowling attack is compromised by playing Shardul as an all-rounder option
Former Indian cricket team batter Navjot Singh Sidhu was not happy with the decision to include Shardul Thakur in the playing XI for the fourth Test encounter against England at Old Trafford. Shardul was brought in as an all-rounder after injury ruled out Nitish Kumar Reddy. However, Sidhu went on to call him a 'bits and pieces cricketer' and said that choices like this will not help India win matches abroad. During his analysis on YouTube, Sidhu said that he would have supported the pick if Shardul was playing as a bowler but including him as an all-rounder can end up compromising the bowling attack.
“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,” Sidhu said.
“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.”
Sidhu doubled down on his criticism by pointing out that the team management needs to be clear on what they expect from a player like Shardul and not try to bolster the batting in this way.
“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.”
“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.
Ravindra Jadeja
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team