IPL 2025: Shardul Thakur on playing for LSG: “I had to give them preference”

After being unsold at the big auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bowler Shardul Thakur revealed to the host team during the seventh innings break between LSG and SRH the moment he began to regain his form in the 18th edition Indian Premier League (IPL).

With a basic price of Rs 2 crore, Shardul Thakur was not sold for the 2025 Indian Premier League and began training for Essex’s County Championship run. However, when LSG coach Zaheer Khan asked him to replace an injured player, his plans were altered. The injured Mohsin Khan was replaced by the right-arm fast bowler in the LSG lineup.

On December 31, while competing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Mohsin tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.

With six wickets in two games against the Delhi Capitals (DC) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), the right-arm medium bowler rose to the top of the current edition’s wicket-taking standings. The 33-year-old finished with 4/34 in the victory over SRH, earning him the purple cap.

“You know, I feel like the cricket keeps doing all these things. I didn’t get selected by any franchises, so it was just a horrible day at the auction. At the mid-innings break, Shardul Thakur stated, “Unfortunately, there were a few injuries here and there, and there were a few enquiries about whether I could join the camp.”

However, LSG was the first to approach me, so I had to give them priority. He even called me while I was working closely with Zaheer Khan. I had to face the fact that it was always going to happen. And as I often say, talent and talents are always present. In cricket, you have to have both good and terrible days. It’s all about form,” he continued.

The fast-medium bowler for LSG will remain with the team till the conclusion of the lucrative competition and will not be available for Essex any more. In match 97 of his IPL career, the right-arm bowler achieved the milestone of 100 wickets after recording his career-best IPL statistics against SRH. Although he enhances the milestone, his top priority is still winning the game.

“Winning the game is essential to me, but it’s always nice to be on the score sheet. I’ll continue to do one thing or another. That’s how I feel. I focus more on making an impact in the game and producing game-winning performances than I do on the wicket or run columns,” Shardul Thakur stated.

For his performance against SRH on March 27, the pacer was named Player of the Match. He disclosed that during the Ranji Trophy knockout stage, he was told that he would make a comeback to the IPL 2025.

Shardul Thakur had outstanding form throughout the Ranji competition, capturing 35 wickets in nine games and making outstanding batting contributions.

Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan, the top order batsmen, were destroyed by the medium pacer for very few runs in his second over. In the final overs of the first innings, he dismissed Mohammed Shami and Abhinav Manohar.