3 reasons why Shardul Thakur must start in India's playing 11 for 1st ENG vs IND 2025 Test

Team India all-rounder Shardul Thakur has made a massive statement by returning to the red-ball setup after a difficult phase in his career. He had to wait on the sidelines after sustaining an injury towards the end of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), but his patience and hard work bore fruit as the selectors called upon his services for the upcoming England tour.

Facing stiff competition from Nitish Kumar Reddy and the temptation to field a second spinner, Shardul Thakur remains in contention for a spot in the playing XI as the first Test in Leeds inches closer. The all-rounder had a decent IPL campaign before coming into the national squad, and in terms of red-ball cricket, he had a prolific season for Mumbai in their 2024-25 Ranji Trophy semi-final run.

On that note, let us take a look at three reasons why Shardul Thakur must start in India's playing 11 for the 1st ENG vs IND 2025 Test.

#1 India need a bowling all-rounder more than a batting all-rounder

The need to reduce Jasprit Bumrah's workload is a major priority. It is clear before the series even begins that he cannot be pulling off 25-over shifts per innings for five matches straight like the Border-Gavaskar series, to protect long-term fitness.

During the Australia tour, the load was significant on Jasprit Bumrah as India were largely playing with four frontline bowlers. Nitish Kumar Reddy, although an all-rounder on paper, was only sparingly used, bowling over 10 overs in an innings just once in the entire tour.

Shardul Thakur, on the other hand, comes across as a much more experienced and reliable bowler, suitable for bowling in English conditions. His ability to swing the ball with gentle pace, and his innate ability to pick up wickets, make him the ideal candidate to support the frontline pace trio.

During the 2021 tour of England, the all-rounder consistently bowled more than 10 overs in an innings, picking up eight wickets in the three Tests that he played.

Although ideally India could use a batting all-rounder to extend their depth, and give the inexperienced batting unit additional cushion, Thakur is a much more balanced option, as he provides support for both batting and bowling departments. He is a handy batter in the lower middle-order, capable of batting with the tail as well.

#2 Current form

Not many expected Shardul Thakur to be in the scheme of things after being dropped for the Border-Gavaskar series. The all-rounder was seen as a specialist for such overseas assignments, and the fact that Nitish Kumar Reddy performed well in Australia complicated his return.

However, a strong domestic season, where he excelled with both the bat and the ball, compelled selectors to reconsider him for the England tour. To his credit, he has taken the opportunity with both hands.

With his performances in the warm-up matches ahead of the tour, he has made a serious case for a place in the playing XI, and not just as a mere backup. He scored a couple of cameos in the matches against the England Lions, and also reportedly smashed a quick-fire ton in the intra-squad clash recently.

#3 Thakur's experience will be highly valuable

Since his debut Test in 2018, all of Shardul Thakur's appearances have come away from home. Team India had craved for a pace bowling all-rounder to bring balance and depth to the playing XI to take advantage of the overseas conditions, and Thakur emerged as the reply through his heroics at the Gabba in 2021.

He has played in Australia, England, South Africa, and the West Indies since then, and has had a massive role in maintaining the ideal team combination for such conditions.

Given Team India are in a major transition phase, they could use all of the experience they have. For almost half of the side, the upcoming tour marks their first-ever outing in England, and it is only natural that they might need time to acclimatize. In that process, they might falter as well, which is why an experienced player like Thakur, who has featured in three Tests in England, will help a lot.

He has three fifties in England, and has dismissed Joe Root twice as well, and all of these minute aspects could well be the difference-maker for India in the upcoming series.