India’s domestic T20 action is heating up with the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). In a dramatic 63rd match of the tournament, Mumbai faced Kerala, and the game became a tough one for Shardul Thakur. The Mumbai bowler set an unwanted record, making the match memorable for all the wrong reasons.
Mumbai struggled throughout the match, particularly in the first innings when they bowled. Shardul Thakur, who initially had some success, dismissed Kerala’s captain Sanju Samson for just 4 runs. However, he couldn’t capitalize on the breakthrough, as he conceded runs at an alarming rate. Thakur finished his four overs with disappointing figures of 1/69, marking the joint-worst bowling performance of the tournament. The record was previously set by Ramesh Rahul of Arunachal Pradesh, who also recorded 1/69 earlier in the competition. In 2010, Hyderabad’s Pagadala Naidu held the record with figures of 1/67.
This performance added to the growing concerns about Shardul Thakur’s form. In the 2024 IPL season, he had an underwhelming campaign, taking only 5 wickets in 9 matches for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His batting also lacked impact, with just 21 runs to his name. Along with his inconsistency, Thakur has faced injury setbacks and missed key domestic tournaments, which further affected his standing in the IPL auction.
Thakur was released by CSK ahead of the 2025 auction, where he entered with a base price of 2 crore. However, no franchises showed interest, and the Indian cricketer went unsold, marking a low point in his career.
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