Shardul Thakur bolstered his case for selection in the upcoming Headingley Test against England by smashing a commanding unbeaten 122 off just 68 balls during an intra-squad match between India and India A at Beckenham. Batting for India A, Thakur reached his century against a formidable bowling line-up comprising Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh. His aggressive knock came on Day Three of the practice game, making him the second centurion for India A after Sarfaraz Khan, who had earlier retired after scoring 101 off 76 balls.

Thakur began Day Three on 19 not out off just 10 deliveries, already striking four boundaries. His innings was lauded not just for the runs but for the manner in which they came—against India's first-choice Test bowling attack. The match, initially scheduled to run until 16 June, was called off midway through Day Three by the team management, who also decided to give the players a rest day on 16 June before travelling to Leeds.

Though the scores from the match were unofficial and not publicly broadcast, selectors Ajit Agarkar and VVS Laxman observed the performances firsthand. Thakur’s performance comes at a critical time, as the team management weighs options between him and fellow all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy, who played all five Tests in the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy and scored a century in Melbourne.

Thakur, who last featured in a Test in December 2023, has 31 wickets and 331 runs in 11 Tests. His impactful showing at Beckenham significantly strengthens his case for a Test recall. (With inputs from Agencies)