NEW DELHI: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 2 crore ahead of IPL 2026, Indian pacer Shardul Thakur says former captain Rohit Sharma always gave him the space to be himself.
The 34-year-old pacer, who featured in India’s Test tour of England earlier this year, is eager to relive his earlier memories at MI.
‘Chaos partner’ reunion on the cards
“Abhi and Pata will walk together when you sit together. You will have great fun,” said Shardul, who is set to reconnect with his ‘chaos partner’ Rohit.
“He made me comfortable, he allowed me to be free with him, he allowed me to express myself. We became comfortable with each other and he played a major part in it,” he was quoted as saying on the MI website.
Early MI days shaped his journey
Thakur’s association with MI began back in 2010 as a support bowler, long before he imagined earning an IPL contract. He said that those early days inside a star-studded dressing room helped fast-track his development.
“I was lucky enough to experience the dressing room early in my days. I was already feeling comfortable in front of senior players. Somewhere down the line, whatever the way I was treated during Mumbai Indians camp also, that small gesture from the Mumbai Indians helped me a lot to grow in my career.
“I was made to play practice games. I bowled with a new ball, so that boosted my morale and confidence to another level, and I was picking wickets.”
Guided by senior coaches, inspired by legends
He credited Rahul Sanghvi and Paras Mhambrey for consistent guidance. But nothing topped the thrill of being around icons.
“I was seeing Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu… and I’m sharing the same dressing room with them. It was surreal,” said Thakur, who has played 13 Tests, 47 ODIs and 25 T20Is since making his India debut in 2017.
A memory rooted in Wankhede
He also spoke about the early days when even a fleeting glimpse of cricket at Wankhede felt precious.
“So whenever the train passed, we used to get up from our seats, come near the door, and try to sneak in and see who’s practicing. Even getting a glimpse of the great Sachin Tendulkar playing, we would have been happy,” he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
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