All-rounder Shardul Thakur believes that in the absence of Mohammed Shami and, for some matches, Jasprit Bumrah, it will be crucial for the team to perform cohesively, with individuals stepping up to deliver match-winning contributions against England in the five-match Test series.
India’s squad for the upcoming 2025 Test series against England has been announced, with Shardul earning a recall. After facing setbacks and missing out on the Australia tour, the all-rounder returns to the national side after a year.
There will be pressure on Shardul. He is making a comeback to the team after a long hiatus and is one of the more experienced players in the relatively inexperienced 18-member squad. Furthermore, with Jasprit Bumrah not expected to play all five Tests and Shami left out, the pace attack will largely rely on Mohammed Siraj and Shardul, as the remaining fast bowlers have limited or no experience of playing Test cricket in England.
“In a team set-up, it’s everyone’s chance to contribute and act collectively, but the results are much better when the team performs as a unit,” Shardul told RevSportz. “We’ve seen this with our domestic side as well and have made it a point for everyone to go out there, give their all, and never give up. Otherwise, winning matches becomes impossible.”
Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh have a combined experience of just 10 Tests, with Arshdeep yet to make his debut. This puts Shardul in the spotlight, as he will be a key figure in the bowling group alongside Siraj and Bumrah.
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