Shardul Thakur set to replace left-armer at LSG for IPL 2025; doubts over another express pacer: Reports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are reportedly set to sign all-rounder Shardul Thakur as a replacement for the injured Mohsin Khan for the upcoming 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The left-arm pacer injured his ACL in early 2025 while playing domestic cricket for Uttar Pradesh, before a calf strain while bowling in LSG nets effectively ruled him out for the campaign.

Shardul Thakur went unsold during the 2025 IPL mega auction after a disappointing set of seasons with three different franchises. The all-rounder was in sublime form for Mumbai in the second half of the Ranji Trophy season, during their run to the semi-finals.

LSG are battling a major injury crisis in their pace bowling unit. Speedsters Mayank Yadav and Akash Deep are still recovering from injuries at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, while Avesh Khan is yet to join the squad following a knee injury. As a result, Thakur was part of LSG's ongoing preparations, and only a formal announcement is pending to finalize his addition to the squad.

According to a report by the Times of India, Thakur will be traveling with the LSG squad and is expected to be available for selection in their season opener against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vishakapatnam on Monday, March 24.

Thakur has played under Rishabh Pant during his one-year stint with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 2022 season.

Mayank Yadav still far from attaining match fitness to mount serious concerns for LSG

Although clips have emerged of the young speed gun bowling while recovering, he still has a long way to go to be 100 percent match fit. Mayank Yadav was retained for INR 11 crore but has yet to play competitive cricket since his international debut in October 2024.

Since then, he has gone on to miss the T20I series against South Africa and England, as well as the domestic season for Delhi. Battling multiple injury concerns simultaneously, the road to recovery looks bleak for the promising prospect, since there is a chance of aggravation during the IPL season.

"Even if the 22-year-old gets an all-clear from the CoE to join his IPL side, it will be nothing short of a miracle if he lasts the distance," the report read.

"The situation is dynamic for some of our players due to injuries. But it’s time that we look for positives and adopt things to tackle the situation amicably. Some players are at the National Cricket Academy and others are spending time with their physios. Right now, it will not be right to say anything about this. The situation will be dynamic this season,” LSG mentor Zaheer Khan said in a media interaction.

LSG have to rely on Shardul Thakur and Shamar Joseph to lead their pace bowling unit, with youngsters like Rajvardhan Hangargekar and Akash Singh set to complement the seniors. While the franchise have an all-rounder in Mitchell Marsh, he has been cleared to play as a batter due to his recent injury.