Harbhajan Backs Nitish Kumar Reddy Over Shardul Thakur for England Tests: “I’m Sure Gambhir …”

Harbhajan Backs Nitish Kumar Reddy Over Shardul Thakur for England Tests: India have never depended on Shardul Thakur as a fast bowling all-rounder, especially since the 33-year-old has been inconsistent with that batting. But in that intra-squad warm-up ahead of the England Tests, he showed that Shardul could bat with a hundred and was also able to take wickets. The Indian team has also had success using Nitish Kumar Reddy as a fast bowling all-rounder lately, who plays for SRH. However, his bad IPL 2025 season has put some question marks on his selection as the fast bowling all-rounder in the first Test.

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In an interview with PTI, former India cricketer Harbhajan Singh spoke in support of Shardul, believing he is ahead of Reddy for the fast-bowling all-rounder position on the team.

“India needs a bowler who can bat a bit. India have got a batting till No. 7, and at No. 8, you need to see who can bowl and get those wickets for you and bat a bit. Not someone who bats and bowls a little bit,” he said.

“That’s where Shardul will have an edge on Nitish Reddy in my view. Nitish is a proper batsman who can definitely bowl. But we have not seen him bowling in the IPL much…

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“Gautam (Gambhir) is there. He is a very capable coach. And I am sure he will take the right decision,” he added.

Nitish played all five Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, and he also claimed a ton in that match at the MCG. Shardul has not represented India in Test cricket since December 2023 and has played a total of 11 Tests, obtaining 31 wickets and 331 runs.

In the intra-squad match, Shardul scored 122 runs from 68 balls, and also was the second India A player, after Sarfaraz Khan, to score a century against the senior Indian team at Beckenham. While he reached his century, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and BCCI’s Centre of Excellence head VVS Laxman, were present.

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