Harbhajan Singh has questioned the selectors for not giving a chance to match-winning all-rounder Shardul Thakur for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25, starting from November 22 in Perth. He played a key role in India’s 2-1 win over Australia in the 2020-21 series Down Under.
He was drafted into the playing XI in the fourth and final Test and scored 67 runs and picked up seven wickets to help India clinch a win by three wickets. However, he failed to show consistency and took four wickets in the next three games at an average of 55.
The decision-makers preferred Nitish Kumar Reddy over Thakur for the upcoming five-Test matches against the Pat Cummins-led team.
“You needed to have an all-rounder like Hardik Pandya but he doesnn’t play Test cricket so you went with Nitish Kumar Reddy. Where is Shardul Thakur? We invested in him for two-three years but he is nowhere now. Even Hardik is limited to white-ball cricket,” he said on Star Sports.
Hardik last played a Test in 2018, and due to back issues, he has kept himself away from red-ball cricket.
Thakur’s last represented India in Test cricket during the first game against South Africa last year.
Bhajji said Nitish Kumar Reddy could play a role similar to Sourav Ganguly. “He can bat and bowl some over like Sourav Ganguly. If he gets one or two wickets, that would be a bonus,” he added.
In 23 first-class matches, Reddy has taken 56 wickets at an average of 26.98.
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