Nitish Kumar Reddy (left) has been given priority over Shardul Thakur.
Coach Gautam Gambhir stated that the decision to pick Nitish Reddy, was the team looking beyond Shardul Thakur, who had been part of the last triumphant Border Gavaskar Trophy team in Australia.
Ahead of flying out to Perth, coach Gambhir was asked if new pick Nitish Reddy would be able to take the place of the Mumbai seaming all-rounder Thakur, a.k.a Lord. Gambhir was categorical that the Test team had moved on from the 33-year-old Thakur, the Mumbai and CSK all-rounder.
“It (decision to pick Reddy ahead of Shardul) is also about moving forward and I feel that this is the best set of players that we have selected to do the job for the country,” Gambhir said. This was as blunt and admission as possible on the team looking firmly past Thakur.
Shardul Thakur’s all-round heroics powered Mumbai into the Ranji Trophy final.
In his stop-start but entertaining career, Thakur made his Test debut in 2018 but injuries often pegged him back. However his glorious moment came in the famous Gabba Test where he made 67 in first innings and took 7 wickets. His 57 off 36 balls in England in 2021 at the Oval, was the fastest half century in 31 balls in England. Thakur also had a 5-for at Wanderers in 2022 against South Africa.
However Gambhir’s statement had effectively shut the doors on Thakur. Nitish Reddy, the 21-year-old was picked instead after an impressive T20 season. “We have picked the best squad who can do the job for us. Nitish Reddy, we all know how incredibly talented he is and if given an option, he will deliver for us,” Gambhir emphasised
Gambhir was also quizzed on the decision to not field Harshit Rana in the tournament game against Australia A. It is seen as Gambhir’s ploy to unleash a suprise package onto the Aussies when Tests begin on November 22.
The coach however dismissed all worries of him being untested, saying, “He (Harshit Rana) has played one first-class match against Assam. So we thought there was no point sending him to Australia to play another first-class match,” Gambhir asserted.
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