Shardul Thakur Credits Zaheer Khan for His Resurgence After Mega-Auction Snub

Shardul Thakur, who went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction, has credited Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan for his unexpected return to the league. Despite his solid track record and strong domestic performances, no franchise picked him during the auction. But cricket, as always, had other plans.

LSG later brought Thakur in as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan, and he has wasted no time making an impact. In just two games, he has emerged as a key figure in LSG’s pace attack. Thakur, who had entered the auction with a base price of Rs 2 crore, was initially preparing for a County Championship stint with Essex when the call came. LSG reached out first, and the 33-year-old all-rounder didn’t hesitate. 

“See, I feel all these things keep happening in cricket. It was just one bad day in the auction, I didn’t get picked by any of the franchises. But unfortunately, there were a few injuries here and there, and there were a few inquiries about whether I could join the camp,” Thakur said during the mid-innings break. “But LSG was the one who approached me first, so I had to give them preference, and even when I was closely working with Zaheer Khan, he gave me a call. And it was always on the cards, I had to accept it. And like I always say, skills are always there, talent is always there. It’s just about the form and bad days, you have to go through it in cricket,” he added. 

He revealed that he had been informed about a possible IPL return during the Ranji Trophy knockout phase. He was in brilliant form during the competition, taking 35 wickets in nine games. Meanwhile, Mohsin Khan, whom Thakur replaced, suffered an ACL tear in December during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, forcing LSG to look for reinforcements. Thakur has stepped up brilliantly, already leading the wicket-taking charts this season with six wickets in two games against Delhi Capitals (DC) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). His 4/34 against SRH not only helped LSG secure a big win but also saw him don the Purple Cap as the tournament’s leading wicket-taker. 

Thakur also reached a personal milestone in the game, claiming his 100th IPL wicket in what was his 97th appearance in the league. Speaking about LSG’s plan against Sunrisers’ aggressive batting lineup, 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.’” That fearless mindset paid off handsomely, as Thakur delivered a match-winning spell. 

For now, his Essex stint is on hold, and LSG will be glad to have him around. From going unsold at the auction to leading the Purple Cap race, Thakur’s IPL journey this season has already been one of the most remarkable comeback stories. 

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