Shardul Thakur credits Zaheer Khan for comeback after IPL snub
What's the story
All-rounder Shardul Thakur, initially unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, has credited a call from Lucknow Super Giants' mentor (LSG) Zaheer Khan for his unexpected return to the league.
Despite his strong track record and impressive domestic performances, franchises overlooked Thakur during the mega auction.
However, LSG later signed him as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan.
Now, he has made a mark in his first two games with LSG and is spearheading their pace attack.
Here's more.
Match-winning spell
Thakur's stellar performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad
In their second match of the season against Sunrisers Hyderabad, Thakur led LSG's bowling attack with a match-winning performance.
He took four wickets in his full four-over spell (4/34), restricting the opposition to 190 runs—a subpar total at a high-scoring venue.
Thakur struck early, dismissing Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan in successive deliveries before removing Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami later.
Notably, this is also his career-best figures in the IPL.
Critical support
Zaheer Khan's call pivotal in Thakur's IPL return
Thakur admitted that going unsold in the auction was a tough moment but didn't hesitate when LSG reached out.
He credited Zaheer Khan's call as the turning point that secured his IPL 2025 comeback.
"Like I always say, skills are always there, talent is always there. But it's just about the performances," said Thakur, speaking to the broadcasters, emphasizing on the importance of persevering through difficult days in cricket.
Team-first mentality
Thakur's focus on team success over personal achievements
Despite reaching the milestone of 100 IPL wickets, Thakur emphasized that personal records don't concern him.
"Winning the game is my priority," he said. "I will keep doing something or the other. That's my attitude."
He said he was focused on producing match-winning performances rather than getting hung up on individual numbers like wickets or runs scored.
"Winning the game is my priority. That's my attitude. I don't look at the wickets column or the runs column," he added.
Tactical approach
Thakur's aggressive strategy against Sunrisers Hyderabad
When asked about LSG's plan to counter Sunrisers' aggressive batting, Thakur replied in his signature style.
He said, "They are coming hard at bowlers, why not bowlers go hard at them? The talk was around the plan. We collectively said, 'Let's go hard at them. Let's try and take our chances.'"
This approach paid off as Thakur delivered a stellar performance on the field.
Notably, he now owns six wickets from two matches this season already.
Stats
Thakur's IPL numbers at a glance
As mentioned, Thakur has now raced to 100 IPL wickets. He reached the landmark in his 97th encounter, as per Cricbuzz.
Thakur has an average of 29.22 and a 9.21 economy rate in the tournament. He now owns two four-wicket hauls.
Meanwhile, with the bat, the Indian all-rounder has amassed 307 runs at 11.81, striking at 137.67.