LSG pacer opens up about his mindset during death overs and lauds teammate Digvesh Rathi after a 12-run victory against MI in IPL 2025
Lucknow, April 5: Following Lucknow Super Giants’ thrilling 12-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025, all-rounder Shardul Thakur shared insights into the high-pressure task of bowling at the death, especially the penultimate over.
Shardul claimed one wicket — that of MI opener Ryan Rickelton — and conceded 40 runs in his four-over spell. More significantly, he held his nerve in the 19th over of the chase, giving away just seven runs against in-form batters Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma.
“There is always pressure when you’re bowling the 19th or 20th over,” Shardul said during the post-match presentation. “But at the end of the day, you’re paid to do that job. It was a tricky surface — sometimes slower balls worked, sometimes they didn’t. In the end, yorkers were the key.”
He noted that surface conditions can change between innings in the IPL, demanding adaptability. “We watch the first innings, but in IPL, pitches often get better in the second innings. It’s all about adjusting quickly,” he explained.
Shardul also showered praise on young leg-spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi, who impressed with figures of 1/21 in his full quota. “Rathi is phenomenal — a real character. We need such guys who step up under pressure. He’s been a surprise package this season,” Shardul added.
He also reflected on the pitch behavior, adding, “Red soil offers bounce and good carry, but on black soil, especially when there’s no dew, batting becomes tougher and you need extra skill.”
With this win, LSG secured their second victory of the season, moving to sixth place on the IPL 2025 points table with four points from four games.
Their next challenge will be against defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens on April 8.