'If he comes to J&K for trails, he won't be selected here'- Former J&K captain's bold stance on Shardul Thakur

Former Jammu and Kashmir captain Samiullah Beigh has raised questions over the selection process for players who represent India. During his one interview with Wasaaf Jeelani, he harshly criticised the selection committee for neglecting the players who deserve to play for India. He also mentioned that many players from Jammu and Kashmir can get a chance in the team instead of Shardul Thakur. 

Samiulla Beigh also stated that many players get a chance to play for India because of their board backing. As mentioned earlier, he said Shardul Thakur gets a chance because the Mumbai board backs their players and pushes, which gives them a chance to go to the top level. He also says that if Shardul Thakur comes for the trial at Jammu Kashmir, he won’t get a chance in the team. Yudhvir Singh, Umar Mir and Auqib Nabi are the three players who deserve the chance to represent India if Shardul Thakur gets a chance.

In his interview, he said, “If Shardul Thakur comes to Jammu and Kashmir, he won’t make it into the team. I have played him a lot, faced him a lot, bowled at him; he is just a normal player, that's it.” Further, he says many other players should get a chance to represent India. 

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Former J&K captain believes J&K cricketers deserve national call-ups after their impressive performance in the Ranji Trophy this season | Episode Releasing Soon | Till Then You Can Subscribe Our YouTube Channel | pic.twitter.com/DhF3vr6kVy

— Wasaaf Jeelani (@wasaafjeelani) February 10, 2025

Shardul Thakur roaring high with performance

Currently, Shardul Thakur is knocking on the door of the Indian selection committee with his phenomenal performance. He has picked up 30 wickets and scored 396 runs in this Ranji Trophy season. With the bat, he smashed three half-centuries and had a century against Jammu and Kashmir. With his recent performance, the selection committee will keep an eye on him for the England tour.

Samiullah Beigh, who is 40 years old, has played over 61 games for Jammu Kashmir and picked 158 wickets in his first-class career. He was part of the team that defeated Mumbai in 2014. He has a decent record in first-class cricket but failed to get selected for India.