India fast-bowling all-rounder Shardul Thakur credited the time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians (MI) for helping him grow in cricket. Shardul, who used to be the net bowler for the Mumbai-based franchise in 2010, has again been picked by the Hardik Pandya-led side as a part of the squad for the 19th edition of the cash-rich league.
How Shardul rejoined the Mumbai Indians
Shardul Thakur joined the Mumbai Indians (MI) ahead of the IPL 2026 season via an all-cash trade deal with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for his existing fee of ₹2 crore. Ahead of the mega event, Shardul recalled his days when he used to be a part of MI's support staff.
“I was lucky enough to experience the dressing room early in my days. I was already feeling comfortable in front of senior players. Somewhere down the line, whatever the way I was treated during the Mumbai Indians camp, also, that small gesture from the Mumbai Indians helped me a lot to grow in my career" said Shardul as quoted by MI.
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Shardul lauds Mumbai Indians
Shardul Thakur credited Rahul Sanghvi and Paras Mhambrey for guiding him during his early days. He revealed that he used to play in practice matches where he got the chance to bowl with a new ball, which greatly boosted his confidence and morale.
“I was made to play practice games. I bowled with a new ball, so that boosted my morale and confidence to another level, and I was picking wickets.”
“I was seeing Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu… and I’m sharing the same dressing room with them. It was surreal” added Shardul.
Shardul played 105 IPL matches for six franchises, including Chennai Super Kings, picked up 107 wickets and scored 325 runs in 42 innings.
Shardul fondly recalled how, as an aspiring cricketer, even the smallest opportunity to watch great players left a lasting impression on him. He described how he and his friends would get up from their seats whenever a train passed near the Wankhede Stadium, trying to sneak a peek at the practice sessions. Even catching a brief glimpse of legends like Sachin Tendulkar in action was enough to make them feel overjoyed and inspired.
“So whenever the train passed, we used to get up from our seats, come near the door, and try to sneak in and see who's practising. Even getting a glimpse of the great Sachin Tendulkar playing, we would have been happy”, he said.