Shubman Gill is under fire after Team India’s puzzling move in the first Test against England — and this time, it’s not about his batting. The young Indian batter, along with mentor Gautam Gambhir, is being questioned for how they handled Shardul Thakur, a player picked as an all-rounder but barely used in either role.
Former India keeper Dinesh Karthik didn’t hold back. On Cricbuzz, he questioned the very logic of playing Shardul if there was no plan to use him. “If you’re not going to trust a bowler, why have you played him?” he asked. A valid question — especially when you look at the numbers. Shardul bowled just 6 overs, gave away 38 runs, and didn’t pick a single wicket. With the bat, he barely made an impact.
Karthik added, “He didn’t bowl great, but to give just six overs in an entire innings is not a good sign. I feel bad for Shardul, but maybe Shubman felt others could build more pressure on England.”
Aakash Chopra echoed the same on his YouTube show. He pointed out that all other Indian bowlers bowled 20+ overs, while Shardul barely got a look-in. “Either it’s poor use of resources or lack of trust — both are worrying,” said Chopra. “Why did you select him if you didn’t believe in him?”
Also Read Cricket Controversy: Why Kapil Dev Finds Trophy Name Change Odd?
This brings us to the bigger question: Was Shubman Gill, in his new leadership role, overthinking? Was there a disconnect between selection and strategy? Or was this just a gamble gone wrong?
Let’s be honest — Shardul Thakur is not the world’s most consistent performer, but he’s known for producing magic moments. India has backed him in key matches before — and he’s delivered. But in this Test, he wasn’t even given a proper chance.
Many fans and experts are now wondering whether Shubman Gill and Gautam Gambhir need to rethink their tactical calls. Trust is key in a Test match, and if you’re picking an all-rounder, you need to back him — not bench him mid-game.
It’s early days in this India vs England series, but this episode will leave a mark. And for Shubman Gill, it’s a leadership lesson he’ll need to learn fast — selection without strategy is just noise.
