Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Shardul Thakur wanted to fight fire with fire after his team claimed a five-wicket against Sunrisers Hyderabad’s juggernauts at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday.

Thakur said he wanted to make the most of the new swinging ball and be on target against the pugnacious opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head. The right-arm medium pacer accounted for Abhishek Sharma with a short ball whereas he dismissed first match centurion Ishan Kishan on an innocuous delivery down the leg-side.

Thakur then got rid of Abhinav Manohar and Mohammed Shami in the death overs and returned with figures of 4-34 in his quota of four overs. Thus, he was awarded Player of the Match for his fine bowling performance.

Shardul Thakur said in the post-match presentation, “I have always backed my skills. Some swing and what I have seen in the past, Head and Abhishek love to take their chances so I thought I will take my chances as well. New ball is a thing where you can take wickets when it’s swinging and I took my chances tonight. Bowlers get very little in these kinds of matches, even in the last game I said that pitches should be prepared in a way the game especially hangs in the balance. With the impact sub rule coming in, it’s unfair on the bowlers if a team scores 240-250 runs.”

Meanwhile, Thakur went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega auction however he was later called as replacement for injured Mohsin Khan. 

Speaking on getting picked by LSG, Thakur said, “Honestly, no but I had made my plans. I also planned to play county cricket if I was not picked in the IPL. Zaheer Khan had called me when I was playing in the Ranji Trophy and he told me that you may be called in as a potential replacement so don’t switch yourself off. If you are called in as a replacement, you are likely to start. Ups and downs are a part of life.”

Lucknow Super Giants will next take on Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday.