Shardul Thakur opens a can of worms as he calls out impact sub-rule in IPL 2025: 'Pitches should be prepared...'

All the talk heading into the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 fixture between SunRisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants was whether the Pat Cummins-led side could breach the 300-run mark barrier in the contest. However, the visitors, Lucknow Super Giants, put in an impressive all-round performance to register the contest by five wickets. Shardul Thakur was the standout performer, as his bowling restricted the hosts to 190/9 in the 20 overs. Shardul Thakur slams impact sub rule. (AFP)

After LSG's five-wicket win, Shardul was adjudged the Player of the Match for his four-wicket haul, including Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan's wickets. At the post-match presentation, the pacer spoke about how the game is going more and more towards the batters, and bowlers have very little to play with.

Shardul, 33, also slammed the impact player rule, saying he is not a fan of teams constantly posting totals of more than 250 in the IPL. Since the rule was introduced, the scores have skyrocketed in the tournament. The 18th edition of the cash-rich league has already seen SunRisers Hyderabad register the second-highest team total in the tournament's history (286/6 against Rajasthan Royals).

"See, I feel bowlers got very little on these kinds of pitches and even in the last game pre-match, I said that pitches should be prepared in such a manner that the game hangs in the balance for batters and bowlers," Shardul said at the post-match presentation.

"Especially after the impact sub-rule coming in, it's not fair on bowlers to see scoreboards 250, 260 and 270 runs every time. That's my honest opinion," he added.

'Zaheer Khan made a call'

Shardul, currently playing for LSG, was initially unsold during the auction held in Saudi Arabia. He had also signed a county deal with Essex for seven County Championship games during April and May. However, his plans changed when he got a call from LSG's mentor, Zaheer Khan.

In the two matches that LSG have played so far, Shardul has been the most impressive bowler, and it is no surprise he is the current holder of the Purple Cap.

"I had made my plans. I also signed for county cricket if I was not picked by the IPL. But while we were playing Ranji Trophy knockouts, Mr Zaheer Khan made a call, and he said we are looking at you as a potential replacement. So don't switch yourself off. Keep your plans ready. Probably, if you come in as a replacement, you will start. So that was the day I tried to get into the IPL mindset again, and the hopes came back," said Shardul.

"But otherwise, I feel this is cricket, and ups and downs keep happening. It was one bad day at the auction where no one picked me up. But cricket's not over, my hopes were high, the talent is there, skills are there. So it's just about staying in the moment and taking it forward from there," he added.

Shardul also shed light on his plans against SunRisers Hyderabad openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, saying he wanted to take his chances against the duo.

"Of course, some swing, and what we have seen in the past is that Travis and Abhishek love to take their chances. So I said, okay, let me take my chances as well. Anyway, they are scoring big total every time they play here in Hyderabad and the majority of the time, those runs have been scored by two of them, or top three probably," he said.

"And few runs in the middle by Klaasen also, but yes, new ball is a thing where you can pick wickets if it swings early on and I had to take my chances, that's what I tried to do tonight," he concluded.

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