IPL 2024 Auction: Shardul Thakur Out Of Form But Not Out Of Demand

Shardul Thakur will be popular among franchises when the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction comes around. He has proven his ability to win titles for his side in the IPL and the international arena. He is also a handy lower-order batsman. Kolkata Knight Riders released the Mumbai-based pacer as a part of the team's restructuring plan for IPL 17. This could be good news for the remaining teams since most are looking for good fast-bowling options.

Thakur's rise in the IPL has been slow but steady. Currently, he is 30th on the list of the league's all-time best bowlers with 89 wickets to his name.

Initial disappointment

Punjab Kings (then Kings XI Punjab) bought Shardul Thakur as a promising youngster from Mumbai in 2014. Thakur's hopes were high, but he wasn't able to make it to the playing XI in the first season.

His form in the domestic circuit continued to improve. He peaked during the 2015 Ranji Trophy season, where he picked up 41 wickets and emerged as Mumbai's most successful bowler. He picked up 3 wickets in the first innings and then bowled the spell of his life to take 5 wickets in just 13 overs. The team won the Ranji Trophy that season, and Thakur was earmarked for bigger things. Even this success did little to further Thakur's chances of becoming a regular in the IPL. He played just one match and didn't even get to finish his quota of 4 overs.

After emerging as Mumbai's best bowler again the next season and still being ignored by the Punjab franchise, Thakur took to X (then Twitter) to express his disappointment. The following season, he was released by the franchise. This was the best thing that could happen to his career. In 2017, the Rising Pune Supergiant secured his services, and he played 12 of