India vs Eng 1st Test: Virat Kohli picks Shardul Thakur over Ravichandran Ashwin, former cricketers divided

The decision to include Shardul Thakur ahead of Ravichandran Ashwin has flummoxed many former players, some of who felt that even if Thakur were to be included, Ashwin should have been picked ahead of Ravindra Jadeja.

Indian captain Virat Kohli’s decision to select pace bowler Shardul Thakur ahead of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the first Test against England has revealed team management’s possible lack of confidence in their batting. India, who decided to field a four-pronged pace attack, have picked just one spinner in Ravindra Jadeja and benched Ashwin, who had recently picked 6/27 in a county game last month and also got four wickets for 45 runs (2/28 & 2/17) across two innings in the World Test Championship final against New Zealand in Southampton in June. The decision to include Thakur ahead of Ashwin has flummoxed many former players, some of who felt that even if Thakur were to be included, Ashwin should have been picked ahead of Jadeja. “You don’t have to be a genius to have an opinion on that. Once you go past 6, your job is to pick wickets and bowl,” said former India captain Ajay Jadeja on air as he felt batting cannot be strengthened at the cost of dropping your No. 1 bowler.