Top 8 players in the selectors’ radar to be picked for New Zealand series

2. Shardul Thakur

Shardul Thakur travelled with the team to West Indies for the 4-match Test series. He did not get his chance to make his debut and thus it will only be unfair to drop him before giving him a look in. He was very impressive in the solitary match that he played in the Quadrangular A-team series in Australia. Although he returned with figures of just 2/50, his spell was hostile and created the right pressure for other bowlers to thrive in.

Earlier this year, Thakur was Mumbai’s leading wicket-taker in the Ranji Trophy and had bagged 41 wickets in 11 matches with 2 five-wicket hauls to his name. He bowls with good pace up front and that reflected in his miserly economy of 2.75 in Ranji this year. Having been thoroughly consistent in the domestic format, Thakur is pretty much in the frame to make it to the squad yet again.