'Not easy to sit out, you go through a lot of emotions!'

'It's not easy to sit out, questioning yourself about what you are doing, not getting a game.'

India all-rounder Shardul Thakur urged Abhimanyu Easwaran and Kuldeep Yadav to show patience and wait for their chances, after they were benched for the entire five-Test series in England recently.

Bengal batter Easwaran, who earned his maiden call-up in India squad in 2022 is yet to make his Test debut, while Kuldeep, who didn't play a single match in England, last played a Test in October last year.

Since his Test debut in 2017, Kuldeep has featured in only 13 games, picking up 56 wickets at an average of 22.16, including four five-wicket hauls. The decision not to play Kuldeep in any of the five Tests in England came in for criticism from some quarters. 

'On a few occasions, I was also in the same boat. As a player, you go through a lot of emotions, and it's not easy to sit out, questioning yourself about what you are doing, not getting a game. There are two things. As I mentioned earlier, not everyone is privileged enough to be on the Indian side. The second thing is, unfortunately, the competition is high in India, and only 11 of them get to be a part of the actual playing team,' Thakur told Boria Majumdar on Revsportz.

The 33-year-old all-rounder played two Tests in England, in which he picked up two wickets and contributed 46 runs with the bat.

"We need to understand that this is likely the best 11 that management is considering, based on the pitch and weather conditions. You'll have to tell your mind that this was not my game, and it's also a lot to be able to travel with the team and share the dressing room with the rest. I don't have many answers to this one, but one just needs to wait around for that one chance,' added Thakur.

Both Kuldeep and Eswaran are expected to feature next in the upcoming Duleep Trophy, for Central Zone and East Zone respectively.