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Lucknow Super Giants’ star all-rounder Shardul Thakur has come out swinging—off the field this time—blasting commentators for what he calls “uninformed and harsh” criticism of players, especially bowlers, in T20 cricket.
After delivering a solid performance in LSG’s six-wicket win over Gujarat Titans on April 12 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Thakur addressed the media and didn’t mince words when discussing the barrage of negative commentary aimed at bowlers.
“There’s always criticism from commentators. It’s easy to sit in a studio and comment on someone’s bowling, but they don’t see the real picture out there on the ground,” Thakur said in the post-match press conference. “I’m sure they should look at their own stats before criticising anyone.”
Thakur, who was overlooked in the IPL 2025 mega auction, was brought in as an injury replacement for Mohsin Khan. Since then, he has been nothing short of sensational, emerging as LSG’s pace spearhead with 11 wickets from six matches and currently holding the position of second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
In the match against GT, Thakur claimed the crucial wickets of Sherfane Rutherford and Rahul Tewatia, returning figures of 2/34 in his four overs. His spells at crucial junctures have played a key role in LSG’s rise to third place on the points table, with four wins in six matches.
“Cricket is evolving. 200+ totals are becoming regular. But credit to our bowling unit—we’ve defended targets successfully on more than one occasion. When conditions became batting-friendly, we kept our nerves and made breakthroughs at the right time,” Thakur pointed out.
He also emphasized the importance of perspective when discussing bowling performances in high-scoring matches:
“It’s not just about the numbers. Sometimes we do everything right, and the pitch or game situation turns things against us. That doesn’t show up in the stats. But we believe in ourselves—that’s what matters,” Thakur added.
Thakur’s fiery response highlights a growing frustration among players about commentary narratives that often ignore ground realities. The LSG pacer believes that while constructive criticism is welcome, passing comments without context undermines the challenges bowlers face in a batsman-dominated format.
With Shardul’s form peaking and his confidence clearly sky-high, all eyes will be on the Ekana Cricket Stadium again on Monday (April 14) when LSG lock horns with Chennai Super Kings.
