Summer 2025 saw Shardul Thakur scheduled to be in England, getting ready for his first County tenure with Essex. Following a demanding Ranji Trophy season with Mumbai, the all-rounder was excited about a fresh challenge in English surroundings.
Still, destiny had other ideas. Everything changed with a quick phone call from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan, just as discussions about 1xbat were making headlines in the cricketing world.
With injuries causing a severely depleted bowling attack, Mohsin Khan ruled out, Avesh Khan questionable, Akash Deep recovering, and Mayank Yadav (their INR 11 crore retention) sidelined—LSG discovered they desperately needed an experienced campaigner. Now, their unexpected hero is Shardul Thakur, a man who had gone unsold in the IPL 2025 big auction.
Shardul Thakur’s Fall and Rise
The trip Shardul has taken in the IPL has been a rollercoaster. Once a key player in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) lineup, his economy suffered in next seasons with Delhi Capitals (2022) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2023). Though he was scheduled for CSK’s reunion in 2024, he only participated in nine games before confronting the terrible truth of becoming unsold at the following auction.
When considering the setback, Shardul stayed unmoved: “It was just one poor day in the auction; I didn’t get picked by any of the franchises… Skills are always there; talent is always there, as I often emphasize. Just about the form and bad days; you have to go through it in cricket.
One defining quality has been his fortitude. Despite being out of India’s international setup since late 2023, he continued to shine in domestic cricket, taking 35 wickets in nine Ranji Trophy matches. In LSG’s first IPL 2025 game, his capacity for recovery was really on show.
Match-Winning Spell Against SRH
Fresh off the devastation of Rajasthan royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) arrived for the game against LSG with a frightening batting lineup. Given that LSG’s bowling attack seems weak, SRH was expected to rule once more. Shardul Thakur, though, had different ideas.
In the 19th over of a high-scoring game, his stint of 4 for 34 not only stopped SRH’s momentum but also made him the first bowler of the season to give under six runs in an over against them—a stunning achievement.
Important Events from His Spell Early Strikes Shardur removed Abhishek Sharma in the third over with a well-placed delivery that found the sole fielder at the square boundary. He followed it by deftly leg-side edge trapping Ishan Kishan.
Over Mastery in Death: Later on, he came back to cut Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami with exact off-cuts, therefore limiting SRH to a below-par total.
“Why not bowlers go hard at [SRH batters] as they seem to be coming hard at bowlers? Following the game, Shardul remarked, “The talk was about what the plan should be, and we collectively said, let’s go hard at them; let’s take our chances.”
Relevance of the Impact Player Rule and Shardul
Now in its third season, the IPL’s Impact Player rule has changed team tactics toward specialists, leaving multi-dimensional players like Shardul in a difficult position. Although his wicket-taking skills and batting ability—which show from his critical lower-order cameos—franchises have typically preferred experts in recent years.
Still, Shardur’s performance versus SRH highlighted his value. In T20 cricket, where conventional thinking usually favors extreme specialists, his ability to break partnerships and deliver under pressure gives him a special advantage.
Starting a New Chapter with LSG
For LSG, Shardul’s inclusion was a risk born of need. Still, his instant influence has supported their choice. His performance gave a bowling attack full of young players consistency, and his match-winning stint defined LSG’s season.
The sequences following the triumph—owner Sanjeev Goenka hugging captain Rishabh Pant—were a far cry from the notorious tense confrontation between Goenka and KL Rahul in the last season. With Shardul Thakur at the core, the atmosphere this time was festive.
What Future Has Shardul Thakur Ahead?
Shardul’s comeback in the IPL could revive his international future. With India’s T20 World Cup team chosen, these kinds of performances will definitely help him to be in contention once more. Furthermore, his adaptability is shown in red-ball cricket for Mumbai and white-ball cricket in the IPL.
Shardul is currently mostly concerned with maximizing his unanticipated IPL chance. Time and time again, he has demonstrated that he thrives when the odds are stacked against him. And if his debut game for LSG is any guide, this could be the season in which Shardul Thakur takes the front among India’s most dependable all-arounders.
Final Thoughts
Comebacks have defined Shardul Thakur’s career. From the auction unsold to becoming LSG’s trump card, his path is evidence of tenacity. In an era of fast-changing fortunes, Shardul has once more shown that class and experience cannot be discounted.