Why is Shardul Thakur not playing India's 2nd Test vs West Indies?

Shardul Thakur has been left out of India's team for the second Test against the West Indies at Trinidad's Queen's Park Oval due to a "sore left groin".

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that he was not available for selection for the match due to the injury.

"NOTE - Shardul Thakur was not available for selection for the 2nd Test due to a sore left groin," BCCI said in a statement on Twitter.

Thakur didn't have a big part to play in the first Test where India cantered to an innings and 141-run win. He bowled seven overs in the first innings, conceding 15 runs, and took the wicket of the hosts' number-three batter, Raymon Reifer.

India declared at 421/5 in the second innings, before he could bat, and then bowled West Indies out for 130 in the third before he could bowl. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took nine wickets among them.

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Who has replaced Shardul Thakur in India's 11?

West Bengal's right-arm pacer Mukesh Kumar has been handed his debut cap as Shardul Thakur's replacement for the match. The 29-year-old comes with vast domestic experience, picking up 149 wickets in 39 first-class matches at an average of 21.55.

The Bihar-born seamer made his debut for the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023, picking up seven wickets in 10 matches. He can nip the new ball both ways and can form a threatening trio with Jaydev Unadkat and Mohammed Siraj.

It was an intriguing decision nonetheless. The Queen's Park Oval pitch has always favored spin and according to Samuel Badree's pitch report, this one is no different. India had the option of going with left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who's also a like-for-like batting replacement for Thakur but decided to go with a third seamer.

India's playing 11: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishan Kishan (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Siraj.