Shardul Thakur Returns to IPL as Lucknow’s New Hope
The 2025 Indian Premier League just got its first dramatic squad shake-up even before the first ball is bowled. Shardul Thakur, a proven campaigner with years of IPL action under his belt, takes the place of injured pacer Mohsin Khan for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Mohsin’s season was over before it began, thanks to an ACL tear he picked up during the Vijay Hazare Trophy at the end of December. Ironically, he’d arrived at LSG’s pre-season camp in Lucknow, but his knee ruled him out of traveling to Visakhapatnam for the opening clash against Delhi Capitals on March 24.
For Shardul, this is a chance at IPL redemption. Just a few months ago during the 2025 auction, he didn’t attract a single bid and went unsold, a surprise given his overall IPL record: 95 matches, 67 wickets, and experience with five teams. His last run with Chennai Super Kings in 2023 was forgettable—just 21 runs and as many wickets in nine outings—but Shardul didn’t stay down for long. He racked up 505 runs and 35 wickets for Mumbai in the recently-concluded Ranji Trophy, playing a massive part in their title win. Selection from the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) at his base price of ₹2 crore may feel like a last-minute call but given the current injury crisis, LSG needed a tried-and-tested name, and Shardul fit the bill perfectly.
Impact and LSG’s Season Prospects
Before this, Shardul had lined up a county stint with Essex in England, no small feat for an Indian fast bowler aiming to boost his credentials. But IPL’s pull is impossible to ignore. A direct call from Lucknow Super Giants—facing the harsh reality of Mohsin’s absence—was enough for Thakur to put his county dreams on hold. For LSG, the swap could make a difference in both bowling and batting. Thakur may have his critics, but his knack for picking up crucial wickets, especially at key moments, and handy lower-order runs give him value that goes well beyond his statistics.
The timing works out well too. With the season just starting, LSG captain Rishabh Pant (who usually captains Delhi but reportedly takes over for LSG) can now experiment with Thakur’s all-round abilities right from the first few matches. The rest of the pace attack suddenly has an experienced head to fall back on, and the flexibility in the lower order just grew. LSG’s playoff hopes crashed last season owing to injuries and thin squad depth—Shardul’s arrival brings relief for fans who feared a repeat story. If his recent red-ball form translates into the T20 arena, we could be watching one of IPL’s great comebacks this summer.
