Shardul Thakur’s explosive knock against Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2023 match has set the cricketing world on fire. The Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) all-rounder smashed 68 runs off just 29 balls, helping his team post a total of 204/7. Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan was full of praise for Thakur’s game-changing innings, stating that such knocks are usually expected from the likes of Andre Russell or Sunil Narine in KKR’s lineup.
The score was 89/5 when Thakur walked in to bat, and he went on to forge a 103-run partnership with Rinku Singh, taking his team past 200. Pathan lauded Thakur’s fearless approach, pointing out that he batted in a difficult situation when KKR could have been out of the game. This was Thakur’s highest score in his IPL career, and he will be hoping to carry his form into KKR’s next match against Gujarat Titans.
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Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif explained why Thakur never got a chance to showcase his batting prowess for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), where he played for much of his career. According to Kaif, Thakur never got a chance to bat at a higher position since CSK always had all-rounders, and he batted at No. 9 or No. 10. However, Thakur’s game plan is simple, and he played proper shots against RCB, displaying his all-round skills.
Not just this, In their second match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) defeated the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by 81 runs. KKR skipper Nitish Rana praised the young leg-spinner Suyash Sharma for his quick arm speed, which he believes could be the X-factor for the team as it makes it difficult for batters to pick him. Despite not being a mystery spinner like Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy, Suyash’s orthodox action and quick arm speed make it challenging for the batsmen to distinguish between his googly and leg-spinner deliveries.
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In his debut match, Suyash Sharma demonstrated his fighting attitude and ability to pick up crucial wickets against a quality Bangalore batting lineup. KKR head coach Chandrakant Pandit praised the young spinner for being quick in the air, although he highlighted that Suyash is still inexperienced. The 19-year-old finished his four-overs spell with 30 runs at an economy rate of 7.5, and his performance was a significant factor in KKR’s victory over RCB.
Shardul Thakur’s heroics with the bat have left fans and critics alike in awe, and he has proven that he is not just a bowler but an all-rounder to be reckoned with. KKR will be hoping that Thakur’s form continues as they prepare to face off against Gujarat Titans on April 9.