After going unsold at the mega auction, all-rounder Shardul Thakur is all set to sign an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Thakur has been with the side since their preparations for the 2025 season began and will be replacing injured Mohsin Khan in the Rishabh Pant-led squad.
The official announcement is yet to be made, but it's learned that Thakur has been informed about the decision and will be traveling with the side to Visakhapatnam for their season opener against Delhi Capitals on March 24, 2025.
Mohsin Khan pick up an ACL injury which has kept him from playing any cricket for the last three months. He later suffered a calf strain upon resuming bowling in the LSG nets. With their core group of seamers still recovering at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) Centre of Excellence (CoE), the management was forced to consider an injury replacement.
The pace attack for LSG, rich in Indian talent, includes Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, and Mayank Yadav, but all are yet to join the IPL franchise. As for Mayank Yadav, he has just started bowling at reduced intensity, but he remains far from match fitness. At just 22 years old, he hasn't played since October of 2024, dealing with a series of injuries that include a side strain and a hamstring issue.
Shardul Thakur, being the most experienced bowler in the current setup, will now step forward to lead the pack. Shamar Joseph is the only overseas seamer in the LSG squad, which also includes promising youngsters like Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Prince Yadav.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow Super Giants had another pressing issue to address. The BCCI released the complete schedule for the IPL 2025 on March 16, 2025. The season will kick off with Kolkata Knight Riders facing off against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22, 2025, followed by LSG's opening match against the Delhi Capitals just two days later.
In its initial seasons, LSG performed well, finishing third in the league stage both times. However, they slipped to seventh position last season. The 2025 league phase will consist of 70 matches, with each team playing 14 games. LSG aims to improve their record and exceed their past performance.
The playoff stage is scheduled for May 20 to May 25, 2025. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad, while the final matches will take place at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
As the LSG prepares for the season with a restructured squad, mentor Zaheer Khan expressed optimism regarding their approach.
