Team India will face the tough task of picking the pace attack for the ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand. The pinnacle clash will commence on June 18 at the Rose Bowl in Southampton. Ahead of the tie, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has picked Shardul Thakur to partner alongside Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah.

Virat Kohli & Co have a star-studded pace attack that will fly to the UK for the much-awaited clash. Along with Bumrah and Shami, the sectors have picked Ishant Sharma, Shardul Thakur, and Mohammed Siraj. Shardul and Siraj impressed during India’s triumphant campaign against Australia where they defended the Border-Gavaskar Trophy beating the Aussie 2-1.

Shardul Thakur should be India’s third seamer – Sanjay Manjrekar

India will face the problem of many picking their pace attack but Sanjay Manjrekar has tried to simplify things for the management. The cricketer-turned-commentator has picked Sahrdul Thakur to be the third seamer. He also believes Thakur will be more useful than the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Ishant Sharma in the first half of the English summer as he can swing the ball.

“When India play New Zealand in the first half of the English summer in the World Test Championship final, I would prefer Shardul Thakur — being a swing bowler — to be the third seamer behind Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami,” Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo.com.

“Let me elaborate: when India were in New Zealand, one of the things that India missed was a proper swing bowler. I know Indians didn’t bat well but one of the reasons why New Zealand won was because they had proper swing bowlers who could exploit the conditions in New Zealand,” he added.

Incidentally, India faced New Zealand once in the World Test Championship in 2020 and faced a whitewash. The likes of Trent Boult and Neil Wagner wreaked havoc as Indian batters failed to put runs on the board. Sanjay Manjrekar believes the conditions in the initial part of English summer will be similar to that of New Zealand and India will require a swing bowler to exploit the conditions.

“Now the first half of the English summer, the sun doesn’t come out as much. So the condition will be similar to what we had in New Zealand,” he added.