‘Lord Shardul’ in IPL: The Performances That Define His Incredible Career

When we talk about impact players in the IPL, one player that always pops up is Shardul Thakur. His fans affectionately refer to him as the Palghar Express and more recently he has been known as Lord Shardul. This right-arm medium-pacer born in Maharashtra has had a more than a usual IPL ride in the history of the tournament.

The story of Shardul can be called nothing but pure grit, determination and a firm belief in his capability to do it, as he was sent home half way through a season and now he is one of the most desired bowlers in the league.

Shardul Thakur IPL Career Stats

Here is a complete overview of Shardul Thakur's IPL stats till the 2026 season:

Batting and Fielding Stats

Shardul Thakur IPL Bowling Stats

Here is the season-by-season bowling record of Shardul Thakur as per IPL website: 

Shardul Thakur IPL Career Highlights

The story of Shardul Thakur is not merely the tale of numbers. It is about a cricketer who never gave up, no matter what the situation was.

• A Rough Start: Shardul made his IPL debut with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2015. He played a single game and took a wicket. He was soon released by the franchise. ESPN mentions: “Shardul Thakur made his IPL debut in 2015 for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings). But he got just one game before being released.”

• Sent Home: Punjab Kings recalled him in the 2016 season but requested him to go home in the middle of the season. Shardul later confessed that he was very much hurt. It was probably the worst point in his IPL career. ESPN mentions: “Mumbai fast bowler Shardul Thakur, who was one of the players released by Kings XI Punjab midway through IPL 2016.”

• The Turning Point: Before the 2017 season, he was sold to the Rising Pune Supergiants, and it was then that his IPL career started. He appeared in 12 matches and had 11 wickets.

• CSK and a Title: Chennai Super Kings picked him up at the 2018 mega auction for INR 2.6 crore. He played 13 matches and took 16 wickets as per ESPN, playing a key role in CSK's title-winning campaign that year.

• The Best Season of His IPL Career: This was the season that saw Shardul establish himself as one of the best bowlers in India. In 16 matches, he took 21 wickets making him the top wicket-taker of CSK and third on the Purple Cap list. CSK became champions and Shardul was a huge contributing factor to that.

• Delhi Capitals: Delhi Capitals acquired him at a price of INR 10.75 crore in the 2022 mega auction. He took 15 wickets in 14 matches. A good season by any measure. The ESPN mentions: “Thakur was picked up for a whopping INR 10.75 crore by Delhi Capitals (DC) in the 2022 auction and was then traded to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of IPL 2023.”

• Record Score: Before the 2023 season, he was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders. His bat was the hit of the year. He played 11 games and got 113 runs that year.

• Back to CSK: In 2024, CSK repurchased him at INR 4 crore. He participated in 9 matches and had 5 wickets in a season.

• LSG Replacement: He was not sold at the 2025 mega auction of the IPL which was a moment of shock. But as always, Shardul fought back. He was taken by Lucknow Super Giants to replace injured Mohsin Khan and ended up with 13 wickets in 10 games.

Why is Shardul Thakur Special for IPL?

Shardul Thakur is no ordinary bowler who goes wicket-to-wicket. He is a match-situation reader. His ability to terminate partnerships at the most critical times has made him a valuable asset to any team that he has represented.

As of April 2026, Shardul Thakur has the second highest number of IPL wickets in 108 matches at 111 wickets, making him one of the most well-rounded players in the IPL.

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