Shardul Thakur Comeback Story: Dropped from Australia tour to Selected for England tour

After making a statement in the domestic circuit, Shardul Thakur’s return was expected to improve the bench strength as a fast bowling all-rounder. He went unsold in the IPL auction, and later he was roped in by the LSG to replace Mohsin Khan. Earlier, Shardul’s exit from the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 series was mainly due to his poor form and injuries. It was expected that he would be eyeing a comeback in the national team for the upcoming England tour.

A few months back, in an interview, Shardul Thakur opened up on possibly regaining his place in the team. He said, “Yes, absolutely. I believe I’m in contention” when asked about the England tour.

Various Factors Which Played a Major Role in the Comeback of Shardul Thakur

Vital Role in the Ranji Trophy

Ranji has given the game many greats. Shardul is one of the exciting products in the domestic and international circuit. His uncanny ability to pick wickets in crucial situations makes him difficult to pick. In the recently concluded Ranji Trophy, Shardul made a terrific mark and took everyone by surprise.

He bagged 35 wickets at an average of 22.62. He also scored a handy 505 runs to his name at an average of 42.08 in the 12 innings of 9 Ranji games, also including four 50s and one century to his name. Thakur’s credibility is not hidden from anyone, and his style of play could help India’s batting at the lower order.

Signed Up with the County Championship

Thakur made a big move and signed up with Essex to enhance his chances of a comeback. His exposure could be valuable to the team. He was quoted as saying that this new move will bring new challenges and opportunities to showcase his talent and skills. He has still not played for the county team. But his inclusion would be in the minds of the selectors.

Performances in England

Thakur has a decent record against England in the past. In 7 innings, he has scored 173 runs at an average of 24.71 and also has 10 wickets to his name. He registered 3 fifties in England, and one came during the WTC 2023 Final. His innings at the big stage of the WTC Final 2023 played in Kennington Oval is still etched in the memories of Indian fans.

Performances in the Ongoing IPL

In the recent IPL, he was seen completely fit and also looked like in fine touch. Also, in one of the games against SRH, he was sensational, taking 4 wickets for 34 runs. The selectors would have taken everything for his selection in the Indian Test Squad and will look forward to his performances in the England tour. With Shardul’s return, India has got a good variety of bowling all-rounders, specifically pacers.

Shardul Thakur will definitely be looking for this opportunity for redemption in the white jersey. He has everything to succeed at the biggest level.