Fresh from a title-winning run with Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy, India all-rounder Shardul Thakur is now looking forward to his IPL homecoming with the Chennai Super Kings where he expects to "grow" under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni after a not-so-great season last year.
Thakur was part of the CSK squad from 2018 to 2021 before plying his trade with Delhi Capitals (2022) and Kolkata Knight Riders (2023). He will return to CSK this season after being bought for Rs 4 crore.
"Honestly, I did not have a great IPL last year," Thakur told PTI Videos in an interview.
Thakur averaged 14.13 with the bat and managed seven wickets in the 11 IPL games he played last year.
"I am very excited to play under Mahi Bhai. There is something or the other that you take away from the game when you are playing with him. He is standing behind the stumps, guiding you, allowing you to grow," he said on the sidelines of the Ranji Trophy final against Vidarbha here on Thursday which the hosts won by 169 runs for a 42nd title.
Thakur said Dhoni's leadership style is driven by the philosophy of allowing individuals to flourish.
"I think that's the biggest quality that he possesses, he gives a lot of freedom to players and asks them to take ownership of their performances, and I am excited to join CSK again, I will say I am playing for a team that values family and values family culture," said the all-rounder.
Thakur will be joined by new entrants like youngster Sameer Rizvi and New Zealand all-rounders Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra in the CSK dugout.
Reflecting on Mumbai's brilliant Ranji campaign this year, Thakur lavished praise on his teammates and the Mumbai Cricket Association for the winning run.
On his part, Thakur struck a hundred in the semifinal against Tamil Nadu and contributed a 75-run knock in the first innings of the final against Vidarbha.
"I started off very late, I played a couple of Vijay Hazare games for the team and then I came back to the team only in the second last league game, the sixth league game, But all the boys, coaches, and support staff they have been working really hard, from the month of June till now," he said.
"I think the process for everyone started from the month of June whether it is fitness, game-related, polishing their skills, each and every thing...In Mumbai, for three-four months you can't have any cricket because of rains
"...Today we were 15 of us but there are three to four members of our team who were not in the squad today but you know they have played one or two odd games at some point in time and they have done well in that game so
"...Overall the credit, I would give right from the MCA management because association, supported us each and every time, the coaches, the support staff, physiotherapists, trainers, everyone and the boys of course," Thakur said.
Thakur was particularly impressed with 19-year-old Musheer Khan, who became the youngest player of the match winner in a Ranji final after his brilliant second innings hundred that helped Mumbai set Vidarbha a mammoth target of 538.
"I think the way he (Musheer Khan) is batting and contributing in the field, they way he is fielding and the way he is bowling, I think he is mature enough to play at the highest level of cricket in the Ranji trophy or the IPL," Thakur said.
"We hardly find these kinds of players who are already ready when they come to the Ranji trophy and he is one of them," he pointed out.
"...It's always pleasing to see youngsters coming in and performing straight away. The kind of maturity that he has shown in the last three games is just unreal to see," he signed off.
