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Coming off from a six-day break after a heartbreaking defeat against arch-rivals Pakistan, India will look to bounce back in what is touted as a virtual quarter-final of the T20 World Cup 2021. The Indian unit is set to square off against World Test (WTC) champions New Zealand in Dubai.
Both the teams are smarting from defeats as their T20 moves were nullified by Pakistan. After India’s crushing loss to Pakistan, there have been speculations over a potential change in India’s composition.
Former Indian cricketer VVS Laxman has also advised skipper Virat Kohli to bring in Shardul Thakur in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who endured a poor outing against Pakistan, conceding 25 runs in three overs without taking a wicket.
“I would go for Shardul Thakur because Shardul can give runs with the bat, and he’s a wicket-taking option. It also increases the depth in the batting lineup. So, I would definitely go with Shardul ahead of Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar). He is an experienced bowler, but if you think about the balance and the combinations of the playing eleven, I would probably prefer Shardul over Bhuvi,” Laxman told host broadcaster Star Sports.
Shardul ‘definitely’ in Kohli's plans
The 31-year-old Bhuvneshwar has looked a pale shadow of himself since his return to the team earlier this year, where he picked up eight wickets in as many matches, with four of them coming in a single game.
Shardul, on the other hand, has impressed everyone with his all-round show in the recently-concluded Indian Premier League (IPL). The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) recruit recorded 21 dismissals to his name in 16 games.
Captain Kohli was asked about Thakur at the pre-match press conference on Saturday where he said, “He’s (Shardul) definitely a guy who’s in our plans, constantly making a case for himself. He is definitely someone who can bring a lot of value to the tea. What role he plays or where he fits in, that’s something that I cannot obviously talk about right now. But yes, Shardul is someone who’s got great potential and he will add great value to the team."
