The IPL 2024 mega auction in Jeddah saw an unexpected twist when no franchise raised the baton for Shardul Thakur. The fast bowler, who had been a key performer in previous seasons, found himself without a team. However, his determination never wavered. Just before the start of the season, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a setback as their pacer Mohsin Khan got injured and was uncertain about playing. This opened the door for Thakur, who was roped in as a replacement.
Making an instant impact for LSG
Thakur didn’t take long to prove his worth. In his very first game for LSG against Delhi Capitals, he picked up two crucial wickets. But his biggest statement came in today’s match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, where he produced his best-ever IPL bowling performance.
A dream spell against SRH
Thakur was on fire from the moment he got the ball. In his second over, he dismissed Abhishek Sharma on the very first ball. Then, on the very next delivery, he sent back Ishan Kishan, last match’s centurion, for a golden duck. Later in his second spell, he picked up two more wickets, removing Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami. He finished with figures of 4-0-34-4, marking the best bowling performance of his IPL career.
The Purple Cap holder
With this spell, Thakur not only helped LSG restrict SRH but also climbed to the top of the wicket-taking charts, earning the prestigious Purple Cap.
Shardul Thakur’s reaction
Speaking after his match-winning spell, Thakur reflected on his journey: “I feel all these things happen in cricket. It was a bad day for me in the auction, but LSG approached me first due to injuries to their bowlers. With Zaheer Khan around, I had to accept it. Cricket has its ups and downs, and winning the game is what matters to me. The batters are coming hard at the bowlers, so why not bowlers go hard at them? That was our plan against SRH.”
Match summary: SRH vs LSG
SRH Innings: 190/9 (20 overs)
Travis Head – 47 (28), Aniket Verma – 36 (13), Nitish Kumar Reddy – 32 (28)
Shardul Thakur – 4/34, Avesh Khan – 1/45
Thakur’s comeback story is nothing short of inspirational, proving that resilience and hard work always find their reward in cricket.
