“He contributes in crunch situations” - Ajinkya Rahane’s massive praise for all-rounder ahead of ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane has showered praise on returning all-rounder Shardul Thakur ahead of India’s first Test in the five-match 2025 series against England. The series begins on Friday, June 20, at Headingley, Leeds.

This marks Shardul’s return to the Test side, with his last appearance in the format dating back to December 2023 against South Africa at Centurion. The 33-year-old earned his recall on the back of impressive performances for Mumbai in domestic cricket.

On Thursday, June 19, just a day before the first Test, Rahane praised the all-rounder, calling him someone who always steps up in crucial situations. In a YouTube video shared on his channel, @ajinkyarahane88, the 37-year-old said:

“Firstly, I’m really happy that he’s back in the team. He’s done really well for the Indian team in the Test format, and as I said, I’m really happy to see him back in the Test squad. He has performed really well in the domestic season — he’s a wicket-taker and contributes in crunch situations.”

“He has done really well for Mumbai; whenever we were in trouble, he scored runs and picked up wickets for us. So I think Shardul’s inclusion in the team is really good, really positive, and I’m looking forward to his all-round performance in this upcoming India-England series,” he added.

Shardul has played 11 Tests for India, picking up 31 wickets at an average of 28.38 and a strike rate of 46.7. He has also made valuable contributions with the bat lower down the order, scoring 331 runs, including four fifties.

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“You just have to give him that freedom” - Ajinkya Rahane shares insights on managing Shardul Thakur

In the same video, Ajinkya Rahane also explained how Shardul Thakur can be used most effectively, having captained him for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. The right-handed batter said:

“I think for Shardul, you just have to give him that freedom and clarity about the plans you have for him, and then give him a free hand. He has the ability and the skills. Whenever he’s bowling, as I said, he’s a wicket-taker.”

“Whenever there’s a partnership, you bring in Shardul and he will get you that breakthrough. If the batting team is in trouble, Shardul will go out there and do his best to contribute with the bat and get the team out of trouble. That’s what he did in Australia, as we all remember, and even for Mumbai — whenever we were in trouble, he performed really well both as a batter and a bowler,” he continued.

Playing under Ajinkya Rahane for Mumbai in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, Shardul took 35 wickets in nine matches at an average of 22.62. He also scored 505 runs at an average of 42.08, including four fifties and a century.