Asia Cup 2023: IND vs PAK: Team India will have few important selection decisions to make before the big IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 Super 4 clash. While fitting KL Rahul will be one puzzle Rohit Sharma and coach Rahul Dravid will have to solve, their other task would be to pick between Mohammad Shami and Shardul Thakur for the all-important clash.
Cricket fans and pundits were left shocked when Shardul Thakur was preferred over Mohammed Shami in the IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2023 group match on September 2. The decision was justified as an attempt to bolster the team’s batting depth, but Shardul failed to deliver with the bat.
Shami returned for IND vs NEP fixture after Jasprit Bumrah left for Mumbai to attend the birth of his first child. However, with Bumrah set to return for IND vs PAK Super 4 clash on Sep 10, Team India faces a daunting task of choosing between Shami and Shardul.
Batting depth or bowling depth?
In the last encounter against Pakistan, Shardul Thakur was entrusted with the role of the all-rounder, expected to contribute not just with the ball but also provide crucial runs down the order. However, he managed to score only 3 runs and didn’t get a chance to bowl due to rain. Considering how well Pakistani pacers bowled against India, this raised questions on Team India’s decision of sacrificing a specialist bowler like Mohammed Shami for the sake of adding batting depth.
Mohammed Shami’s ODI bowling stats speak volumes of his skills with the ball. Shami’s ability to generate reverse swing and nail his yorkers in the death overs makes him a potent weapon, especially in crunch situations.
On the other hand, Shardul Thakur’s ODI stats indicate that he is yet to establish himself as a reliable all-rounder at the international level. While he has shown glimpses of his batting potential, his bowling figures have often been less than spectacular.
Why should Team India pick Shardul?
- Batting Depth: Shardul can contribute valuable runs in the lower middle order, stabilizing the team’s batting.
- Balance: An all-rounder like Shardul Thakur add balance to the team by offering a fifth bowling option.
Why Should Team India pick Shami?
- Bowling Prowess: Specialist bowlers like Shami bring a wealth of experience and skill. With players like Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan in Pakistan’s side, Team India needs an experienced bowler to keep the batters quiet.
- More Pace, More Swing, More Trouble for Batters: Mohammad Shami is evidently more quicker than Shardul Thakur. With the kind of weather expected in coming days in Colombo, Shami will be an ideal pacer to bowl in the overcast conditions against quality batters.
Team India Squad for Asia Cup 2023: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya (vc), Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumraj, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Sanju Samson (travelling reserve).
