Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 28 : Following Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) win over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), former Indian cricketer Robin Uthappa hailed pacer Shardul Thakur's spell, saying that even though he was unlucky in the auctions and went unsold, performing well in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after performing in domestic cricket is incredible.
Shardul fought back against all odds and delivered his best-ever figures in the league during his side's win over SRH at Uppal Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday. Joining the team as a replacement for Mohsin Khan, the 'Palghar Express' demolished SRH right at the start of his spell of 4/34, picking up wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan.
"They say all's well that ends well, and right now, Shardul epitomizes that. He was unlucky in the auctions--he should have been picked and at a good price. But the dynamics of the auctions are unpredictable, and for some reason, he went unsold. I still find it baffling. However, he took it on the chin, went back to first-class cricket, and performed exceptionally well. To now come into the IPL and start in this fashion is just incredible," Jiostar expert Robin said.
"Even in the previous game (against Delhi Capitals), he showed that while he might concede a few runs, he always finds a way to produce breakthroughs. When he does not get wickets, he might seem expensive, but when he does, he is top-notch. I felt he should have bowled more in the first game, where he only got two overs. This time, I'm glad he completed his full quota of four," he added.
Coming to the match, SRH was put to bat first by LSG, who had opted to bowl first. Shardul restricted LSG to 15/2, but a 61-run partnership between Travis Head (47 in 28 balls, with five fours and a six) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (32 in 28 balls, with two fours) stabilised the innings for a bit. Cameos did come from Heinrich Klaasen (26 in 17 balls, with two fours and a six), Aniket Varma (36 in 13 balls, with five sixes) and skipper Pat Cummins (18 in four balls, with three sixes), which pushed SRH to 190/9 in their 20 overs.
During the run-chase, LSG lost Aiden Markram early, but a 116-run stand between Nicholas Pooran (70 in 26 balls, with six fours and six sixes) and Mitchell Marsh (52 in 31 balls, with seven fours and two sixes) and a fine cameo in the end from Abdul Samad (22* in eight balls, with two fours and two sixes) pushed LSG to a five-wicket win with 23 balls left. Pat (2/29) was the top bowler for SRH.
Shardul was named the 'Player of the Match' for his fiery spell.