Shardul Thakur to join LSG after getting unsold in IPL 2025 Mega Auction? Former CSK star training with Lucknow team

Shardul Thakur, an all-rounder known for his fast bowling, was seen training with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in preparation for IPL 2025. LSG is set to face DC in their opening match of the tournament.

Shardul Thakur, India’s prominent fast bowling all-rounder, who went unsold during the IPL 2025 mega auction last year, may join Rishabh Pant in playing for the Lucknow Super Giants in the upcoming IPL 2025 season. The 33-year-old cricketer from Mumbai, who previously played for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the last tournament, has been spotted training with the LSG team in preparation for the new season of the lucrative league.

Several images of Shardul Thakur are circulating online, showing him in an LSG jersey as he practices bowling and sits alongside other players.

Shardul Thakur was seen training in the LSG camp ahead of IPL 2025. pic.twitter.com/3MugL9FEzw

— Jay Cricket. (@Jay_Cricket12) March 16, 2025

Shardul Thakur has taken 94 wickets and accumulated 307 runs throughout his IPL career. After being released by CSK prior to the mega auction, he unexpectedly went unsold during last year’s auction. Thakur made his international debut in 2017 and has since participated in 11 Tests, 47 ODIs, and 25 T20Is for the Indian national team. Currently, he is performing at an impressive level.

The Lucknow Super Giants, under the leadership of Rishabh Pant, are facing a challenging scenario with three of their fast bowlers—Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Mohsin Khan—injured and likely to be unavailable for play. As a result, the team may consider signing Shardul Thakur as a replacement for the upcoming tournament.

Shardul Thakur played for the CSK team, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, in the previous tournament, where he took five wickets in nine matches. The five-time champions were eliminated from the tournament after a crucial loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Shardul had a standout IPL season in 2021 while playing for CSK under the captaincy of MS Dhoni. He took 21 wickets in 16 matches, contributing significantly to the team’s success as they secured their fourth title by beating KKR by 27 runs in Dubai.

After being overlooked by IPL teams during the major auction in 2025, Shardul joined the English county team Essex last month and will participate in seven matches in Division One starting with the 2025 season.