MUMBAI: It’s a story of perseverance. The night of November 25, 2024, was a painful one for Shardul Thakur. Much to everyone’s surprise, the ‘Palghar Express,’ who had played 83 internationals for India, went unsold in the Indian Premier League auction. Just days before that, the 33-year-old had been left out of India’s squad for the Border Gavaskar Trophy to be played in Australia. For Thakur, it was a particularly bitter pill to swallow, given his big role in India’s historic win at the Gabba in 2021.
Thakur had played a match-winning knock of 67 and taken a seven-wicket haul (7/69). However, at the pre-tour press conference, India’s head coach Gautam Gambhir signalled a shift toward younger players, stating that all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy represented India’s future. The statement effectively ended Thakur’s Test career.
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Refusing to be discouraged, Thakur, who had recently recovered from ankle surgery, bounced back spectacularly in the Ranji Trophy, finishing the season with 35 wickets in nine matches at 22.62 and scoring 505 runs at 42.08, including a century and four fifties.
With the IPL seemingly out of reach, Thakur signed up with English county side Essex for the summer, hoping the experience would aid his chances ahead of India’s upcoming England tour.
“He’s not someone who sulks at home. He knew county cricket would help him if he got picked for the England tour. He’s been working hard on his game and fitness,” said childhood coach Dinesh Lad.
Then came the twist of fate.
A call from Zaheer Khan, the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants, changed everything. With LSG’s left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan ruled out due to injury, Thakur was signed at his base price of Rs 2 crore. What has followed is nothing short of remarkable.
Thakur, who wasn’t even in the IPL a week earlier, is now the tournament’s second-highest wicket-taker with six wickets in two matches.
“Zaheer called me when I was playing Ranji and he said, ‘You may be called in as a potential replacement, so don’t switch off’,” Thakur said after his 4/34 on Thursday against SRH on a flat pitch, an effort which followed his 2/19 in two overs against Delhi Capitals.
“He has bowled superbly whenever he has come on. I was shocked that he only bowled two overs in the first match. He took two wickets in those two overs,” Lad said.
Few have seen Thakur’s struggles as closely as his wife, Mittali Parulkar, who has been part of his journey since they tied the knot on February 27, 2024.
“When he wasn’t picked at the IPL auction, he was disheartened for a day or two, but then he moved on. Just before that, he wasn’t picked for Australia, and he was already dealing with recovery from surgery. But he took it in his stride,” Parulkar told TOI.
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