"Why did you play him if you don't have faith in him?" - Aakash Chopra on Shardul Thakur's underutilization in ENG vs IND 2025 1st Test

Former India player Aakash Chopra has questioned Shubman Gill and company for underutilizing Shardul Thakur in England's first innings of the first Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy. He wondered why the seam-bowling all-rounder was picked in the XI when the think tank didn't have enough faith in him.

Thakur registered figures of 0/38 in six overs as India bowled England out for 465 in their first innings on Day 3 (Sunday, June 22) in Leeds. The visitors ended the day at 90/2 in their second innings, with a lead of 96 runs.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India opener questioned the team management for not showing enough faith in Thakur after selecting him in the playing XI.

"I am thinking about Shardul Thakur's utilization. They have selected him, but haven't shown faith in him. Of course, he bowled a few overs and was very expensive, but then you didn't bowl him at all for long spells. All bowlers bowled 20-plus overs, but Shardul Thakur was in single digits," Chopra said (7:30). "The second new ball came, the first new ball came and went, the ball became old as well, but either it is underutilization of resources or the second thing could be that you don't have faith in him, and that is a bigger concern. Why did you play him if you don't have faith in him?" he added.

India bowled 100.4 overs in England's first innings. While Thakur was given only six overs, each of the other bowlers bowled 20 overs at least.

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"Shardul Thakur not being used properly is not a good story at all" - Aakash Chopra

Jamie Smith was given out lbw off Shardul Thakur's bowling, but the decision was reversed after a review. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra acknowledged that Shardul Thakur was in his playing XI as well, but noted that the Indian team doesn't seem to have enough confidence in the all-rounder with both ball and bat.

"I felt he should have been played. I too had picked him in the XI, but if the Indian team feels that they don't have that much confidence in his bowling, and they have to bat him at No. 8 only, so they don't have that much confidence there also, then they shouldn't play him. Shardul Thakur not being used properly is not a good story at all," he said (8:15).

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Thakur couldn't contribute much with the bat either, highlighting that the Mumbai all-rounder was part of India's dramatic first-innings collapse.

"You are filling a place by playing him, but he cannot be a placeholder. Eventually, you want him to come and contribute. He got out in batting, which is okay, although from 430/3 to 471 all out, it was like a major collapse in that respect. I think this is the lowest total in the history of Test cricket when three people have scored centuries," Chopra observed.

Thakur was caught behind for an eight-ball one in India's first innings. The visitors lost their last seven wickets for 41 runs after being comfortably placed at 430/3.

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Edited by Kartik Iyer