"Not the same bowler we saw in Test cricket maybe 18 months back" - Sanjay Manjrekar on India all-rounder Shardul Thakur
Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels all-rounder Shardul Thakur is not as effective as he was a few months back. Manjrekar's comments came after India's humiliating defeat against England on Tuesday at Edgbaston.
Jonny Bairstow (114*) and Joe Root (142*) struck unbeaten centuries as England gunned down 378 runs with two sessions to spare. It was the highest successful run chase against India.
The English batters came charging against the Indian bowlers, especially Shardul Thakur. The Mumbai-born cricketer struggled to make any inroads and conceded runs at an economy of 5.90 runs per over.
Only three bowlers have conceded over 6 runs per over for India in a Test after bowling 15+ overs. I
Umesh Yadav v AUS - 6.06, Sydney 2015
Shardul Thakur v ENG - 6.27 - This Test
Mohd Siraj v ENG - 6.23 - This Test
#ENGvIND
Throwing light on Shardul's dismal form in red-ball cricket on SonyLIV after the match, Manjrekar said:
"I think Shardul Thakur is not the same bowler we saw in Test cricket maybe 18 months back."
Shardul returned with only one wicket in the match. He also failed to make a mark with the bat, returning with scores of one and four in the first and second innings respectively.
"The seam-up delivery has just gone" - Sanjay Manjrekar on Mohammed Siraj
Siraj, who was preferred ahead of Umesh Yadav, had a good outing in the first innings, picking up four wickets. However, his economy of 5.70 was on the higher side.
Siraj was equally expensive in the second essay, shelling runs at 6.50 per over as Bairstow and Root found the boundaries easily.
Mohammed Siraj's 4th innings economy rate of 6.53 (15-0-98-0) is the worst by an Indian bowler in any innings of a Test match (Min. 10 overs bowled).
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While the Hyderabad-born pacer has taken giant strides in international cricket, he has endured tough times in the last few months.
Sanjay Manjrekar, who has witnessed Siraj's evolution as a bowler, said:
"I have been watching Mohammed Siraj's evolution as a bowler. The seam-up delivery has just gone."
India's next Test assignment will be against Bangladesh away from home. Both teams will lock horns with each other in a two-match Test series as part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC).