'Drop Shardul Thakur, Play R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja Together': World Cup Winner's Advise to India for 2nd Test

Krishnamachari Srikkanth feels that India should stick with Ravichandran Ashwin in their playing XI for the second Test against South Africa even if Ravindra Jadeja returns to the side. Ashwin played the first Test after Jadeja missed out due to a back spasm but the latter has returned to training ahead of the Cape Town Test.

India played with four fast bowling options in the opening Test but Srikkanth feels that the visitors should play Ashwin over Shardul Thakur and suggested the offspinner can team up with Jadeja to bowl tight overs and trouble the Proteas batters.

“I will still play Ashwin. I believe Ashwin is better than Shardul Thakur. I will play Ashwin in place of Shardul. Even if he doesn’t pick up five-wicket hauls, he will pick up a couple (of wickets). Probably, he will combine well with Jadeja and bowl tight lines. These two can work together and pick up 4-5 wickets, you never know. That should be enough, he would have done his job,” said Srikkanth on his YouTube Channel.

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The Indian bowlers had a tough outing in the Centurion Test as their third and fourth-choice pacers – Thakur (1/101 in 19 overs) and Prasidh Krishna (1/93 in 20 overs) – were all over the place. The two failed to get their line and length right on a surface which had assistance for the pacers. South Africa took complete advantage of their errors and managed to post 408 on the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, the 1983 World Cup-winning star said it would be unfair to drop Krishna from the side after just one game while he asserted that Thakur doesn’t fit the bill.

“If at all you are going to make their batters struggle, you do have an opportunity with your spinners. You can beat them in flight, you can try something like that. I will drop Shardul Thakur. Prasidh Krishna, if you drop him now, it’s unfair. He has played one Test only. It’s unfair to drop anyone after their debut. Shardul Thakur does not fit the bill,” the former captain said.

The second match of the series will be played in Cape Town starting January 3 and India might make a couple of changes in their XI to level the series.