India, March 27 -- From being left without a buyer at the IPL 2025 auction to leading the wicket-taking charts in the league after LSG's second match, Shardul Thakur's start in the season has been nothing short of sensational. The Lucknow Super Giants pacer, brought in as an emergency replacement after injuries to key bowlers, has now emerged as their leader in pace attack, producing a four-wicket haul to dismantle Sunrisers Hyderabad on Thursday.

Thakur struck twice in two balls in just his second over, removing the dangerous Abhishek Sharma and last-match centurion Ishan Kishan. First, a short ball hurried Abhishek into a mistimed pull, comfortably pouched at deep square. Then, Ishan feathered a harmless delivery down the leg side to t...