‘Shardul ko permanent rest ki zarurat hai’ – Fans react to reports of Shubman Gill and Shardul Thakur have been rested for 3rd ODI against Australia

Team India’s opening batter Shubman Gill and bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur are likely to miss the final ODI against Australia. According to reports, the management is planning to rest both of them for the non-important match at Rajkot on Wednesday, September 27. The KL Rahul-led side clinched the three-match series with a thumping 99-run victory on Sunday.

Both Gill and Thakur will not fly to Rajkot and will instead join the team directly for the 2023 ODI World Cup journey. The Indian Cricket Board announced two different teams for their final white-ball assignment before the premier 50-over tournament, which begins on October 5. Senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya will be returning to the squad.

Resting the players is a move by the team management to manage the workload of the players as most of them are in the 15-man World Cup squad. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the second ODI, is also likely to take part in the final ODI.

Fans unhappy with Gill’s absence, but contrasting feelings towards Thakur

Gill is considered to be India’s key player in the upcoming World Cup as the 24-year-old is in tremendous form this year. The young lad scored a match-winning fifty in India’s five-wicket win in the series opener in Mohali, followed by a blistering century in the second ODI in Indore.

However, fans on social media are unhappy to give him a break as he had every chance to overtake Pakistan skipper Babar Azam in the men’s ODI batting rankings. On the other hand, Thakur was unimpressive in both matches, going wicket-less after playing as the third seamer.

India Squad for the 3rd ODI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Axar Patel*, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj.

Here’s how fans reacted to the reports that Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer have been rested for IND vs Aus third ODI: