Shardul Thakur wants BCCI to do this one thing for a balanced IPL game it's related to...

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who went unsold in the IPL Auction 2025, recently requested the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to get rid of the 'entertainment factor' and also wanted all pitches not to be one-sided, where batters come and smash bowlers. Speaking at the presser ahead of LSG's first home game of IPL 2025 against Punjab Kings, Shardul advocated to the Indian Cricket Board for having pitches which give bowlers a 'fair and square chance' in the IPL.

What did Shardul say?

Shardul Thakur, who has picked up 6 wickets in two LSG games, called for BCCI to get away with one-sided games against bowlers and said, ''Shardul Thakur went unsold in the IPL Auction 2025. A lot of them might not be outspoken or they might not get a chance to speak in front of media or give interviews about the pitch conditions. All that the bowlers are asking is to prepare the pitch in such a manner that the game hangs in balance and it should not be just one-sided where batters are coming and smashing us, because all we want is a fair chance and fair opportunity in the game.''

Shardul criticises the Impact Player Rule

Talking about the most debatable rule in the IPL, Shardul was also critical about the Impact Player Rule and said that more than the new rule, the pitches should have a better balance. ''We have already seen the rule change and the Impact Player rule coming in, so every team is potentially playing an extra batter, especially while chasing or even let's say you are batting first, then [everyone] is going in with that depth, because they have now an opportunity to change the batter and call a bowler while defending or vice versa,'' he said. 

''The Impact Player rule is an entertainment factor and games change a lot, but that these 250 scores are being made is not only because of this rule change, but also because of the way the pitches are being made. We are just saying as a bowling unit that give us a fair and square chance where we can get a batsman out,'' he added.

Meanwhile, Shardul who was introduced to the LSG team just ahead of the new season of IPL, took four wickets in the last game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. LSG will next take on Punjab Kings on Tuesday, April 1 at Ekana Cricket Stadium B Ground.