At the IPL 2024 auction, former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Suresh Raina has demanded that all-arounder Shardul Thakur rejoin the team. Suresh Raina claimed that Thakur may have enjoyed playing under MS Dhoni’s captaincy once more because his IPL 2023 side, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), didn’t employ him well.
Between 2018 and 2021, Thakur spent four seasons with CSK, earning two IPL titles. He took 55 wickets at an average of 27.52 in 48 matches. His greatest year was 2021, when he took 21 wickets and emerged as a major partnership-breaker.
He was selected by Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL 2022 auction before being traded to KKR ahead of the 2023 season.
“He is very similar to Pat Cummins. He has done well in the bowling department as well as with the bat. KKR, I don’t think used him in that manner. When he played for CSK, he has done really well. He brought a lot of quality with the older ball as well as the new ball. (Deepak) Chahar is a bit injury-prone, and (Matheesha) Pathirana also is. He is an all-rounder like Deepak Chahar.”
Suresh Raina
Suresh Raina Added:
“He (Shardul) understands the CSK administration, he understands the leadership. And MS astutely used him well. I think he is (can be) an important buy. I think, like Abhinav Mukund said, he is a very important Indian bowler. And his form will be crucial.”
Suresh Raina
Thakur was unable to match his on-field performances at DC or KKR. He collected 15 wickets in 14 matches in the IPL 2022 and had a successful season with the bat (120 runs at a strike rate of 137.93). In 11 matches in 2023, he took seven wickets and scored 113 runs (strike rate of 161.43).
Shardul Thakur’s ₹2 crores base price for IPL 2024 auction
Shardul Thakur, who has the highest available base price of 2 crore, will be among the first batch of all-rounders in the IPL 2024 auction.
CSK have a large 31.40 crore bank balance and six seats to fill.