‘I wasn’t used properly’: Shardul Thakur’s explosive claim on Shubman Gill-led England tour
Mumbai: India all-rounder and current Mumbai captain Shardul Thakur has alleged that he was “underused” in the five-Test series in England last year.
Playing under new Test captain Shubman Gill and led by head coach Gautam Gambhir, India drew the five-Test series 2-2.
Thakur, who has taken 33 wickets in 13 Tests at 31.03, played in just two Tests in the series, where he took two wickets at 72.00, at an economy rate of 5.33. In two Tests, Thakur bowled 27 overs while scoring 144 runs.
Thakur bowled just six overs in the first innings of the first Test at Leeds, where he conceded 38 runs without taking a wicket, as India bowled out 100.4 overs. In the second innings, he took two for 51 in 10 overs, as India bowled out 82 overs. India lost the Test by five wickets, as England made 465 and 373 for five.
Recalled for the fourth Test in Manchester, Thakur conceded 0-55 in 11 overs as England posted 669 in the first innings. The game ended in a tie.
Interestingly, on all three occasions, Thakur bowled the fewest overs of all Indian regular bowlers.
“After the 2024-25 season, the kind of season I had (he took 35 wickets in nine games at 22.62), I think I could have played a few more games and made a difference. When I was playing in England, I was not used well in throwing the ball. In batting, yes, it was my fault that I played loose 1 and I hit 4 shots in Le Manchester). well (he scored 41 points) in the first innings) again,” Thakur told a select group of reporters on the sidelines of the Mumbai Cricket Association’s ‘2026-27’ season launch at MCA’s BKC center on Wednesday.
Stating that he was “underdogs” in the England series due to a “math error”, the 34-year-old Shardul said, “I would say I was under-hit and it was about being bowled at the wrong stages. So there was a math error I would say.”
Has ‘Palghar Express’ spoken to the captain to clarify the situation regarding him? “No, I mean, usually you don’t have a word with the captain or the coach because the focus is on the game. Whenever you’re asked to do something, all you think is, okay, now it’s my turn and I want to bring the team. And when we do that, sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn’t,” Thakur replied.
Realizing that he was dropped from the attack even after getting the wickets of Ben Duckett and Harry Brook in the 55th over of the Leeds Test, as England successfully chased down 373 while losing just five wickets, Thakur said, “So, if you see that in Leeds, I got those two wickets in a row and India would have been back in the game, I played again. spell, maybe get another one.” wicket and other bowlers come in and we can win that game again, if again.
“My comments won’t change the nature of that game and the outcome of that game. But yeah, I mean, you don’t just have these normal conversations with the captain and all. You basically take whatever you’re asked to do,” Thakur said.
In one of his press conferences in England during the Test series last year, Thakur revealed that he was not happy about being bowled more than he wanted to be bowled.
However, despite his painful experience playing for this country for the last time, Thakur is hopeful that he will get another chance to play for India in the future. “So it’s not that I didn’t have any blows when I played for India last time. But yes, I think I deserve a few more chances. But that’s okay. Like I said, hope is still alive. And in the near future, if they don’t ask me to play for India again, I’ll be ready,” he said.
