The Lucknow Super Giants have replaced injured fast bowler Mohsin Khan with Indian international Shardul Thakur.
Mohsin had burst into IPL with an amazing 2022, where he claimed 14 wickets at 14.07 from nine games while going at 5.96 an over. However, his subsequent career has been marred by injuries. He averaged more than 35 in each of the 2023 and the 2024 editions, while his economy remained over 10.
Mohsin has now been ruled out of the 2025 edition. According to a press release, LSG have replaced him with Shardul Thakur from the Registered Available Player Pool (RAPP) at his reserve price of INR 2 crore.
From 95 IPL matches for the Punjab, Pune, Chennai, Delhi, and Kolkata franchises between 2015 and 2024, Thakur has taken 94 wickets in the IPL at 30.52 with an economy of 9.22. His 307 runs have come at a strike rate of 138. In the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he claimed 15 wickets in nine games at 24.53 and 10.51.
An Indian international in all three formats, Thakur was part of the playing XI in the finals of the World Test Championship and the World Cup in 2023, both of which India lost to Australia.
After going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction, Thakur signed a contract with Essex for the first seven games of the 2025 County Championship. This came on the back of an excellent Ranji Trophy season and ahead of India’s 2025 Test series in England.
Essex play their sixth game from May 16 and their seventh from May 23. LSG, on the other hand, play their last league game on May 18, while the IPL playoffs are on May 20, 21, 23, and 25. Thakur will almost certainly miss the first six games, though he may play the seventh.
LSG play their first game of the 2025 IPL against the Delhi Capitals on March 24 at Visakhapatnam.
