Days after IPL 2025 auction snub, Shardul Thakur records joint-worst bowling figures in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy
Mumbai's pace-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur had a dismal outing during his team's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024 match against Kerala on Friday, November 29. The two teams squared off at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Thakur failed to get going with the ball, bowling an expensive spell. The right-arm pacer conceded 69 runs from his full quota of four overs while bagging a solitary wicket.
It is worth mentioning that this is the joint-worst bowling figures in the domestic T20 tournament's history. Thakur joined Arunachal Pradesh's Ramesh Rahul, who gave away 69 runs from four overs against Haryana earlier this season, in the unwanted record.
After being asked to bat first, the Kerala batters took the Mumbai bowlers to the cleaners, finishing with an imposing 234-run total. Salman Nizar remained unbeaten on 99, while opener Rohan Kunnummal scored a quickfire 88-run knock.
Mohit Avasthi was the pick of the Mumbai bowlers, claiming a four-wicket haul. Kerala ultimately clinched a 43-run victory in the clash. Ajinkya Rahane was the top performer with the bat for Mumbai, hitting 68 runs. MD Nidheesh shone with the ball in the run chase, recording impressive figures of 4-30-4.
Shardul Thakur was unsold at the IPL 2025 auction
Shardul Thakur was signed by the Delhi Capitals (DC) for ₹10.75 crore at the IPL 2022 mega auction. He was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of the subsequent season.
He was released by KKR prior to the recently concluded IPL 2025 auction. Thakur set his base price at ₹2 crore at the auction. However, no franchise expressed interest in roping in the all-rounder and he remained unsold at the event.
Shardul Thakur performed underwhelmingly in the past few seasons. He played nine matches in IPL 2024, in which he claimed just five wickets at an economy rate of 9.76. He suffered an ankle injury after the season and underwent a successful surgery in London earlier this year.