Not taking your best swing bowler was a mistake, says Sarandeep Singh

Not taking “your best swing bowler” Bhuvneshwar Kumar on the tour of England is a huge mistake and Shardul Thakur should have been a part of the 15-man squad for the World Test Championship (WTC) final that India lost, feels former selector Sarandeep Singh.

Since Thakur was not a part of the 15-man squad, he could not be drafted into the playing eleven as the fast-bowling all-rounder, after rain in Southampton made conditions more favourable for the pace bowlers. And not picking Bhuvneshwar for the WTC final and the five Tests against England starting August 4 is baffling, said Sarandeep whose tenure ended with the triumph in Australia earlier this year.

“The playing eleven picked two days ago before the game was perfect with two spinners in it. But it should have been changed as the conditions got more conducive to fast bowling (after rain),”Sarandeep told PTI.