Shardul Thakur is on the brink of his third Indian Premier League trade, with Mumbai Indians (MI) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) agreeing an all-cash deal that needs only formal approval from league officials.
Both franchises have filed the required paperwork, and the transfer is expected to be rubber-stamped in the coming days. Should nothing derail the process, the India all-rounder will re-join the side where he spent his early IPL seasons as a reserve fast bowler between 2010 and 2012.
This latest move continues a well-travelled IPL career. Rising Pune Supergiant first traded for Thakur in 2017, buying him from Kings XI Punjab, while Kolkata Knight Riders secured his services from Delhi Capitals ahead of 2023. Each time the fee was paid entirely in cash, underlining his market value despite fluctuating form.
LSG acquired Thakur earlier this year when Mohsin Khan was ruled out, paying his INR 2-crore base price after he had gone unsold at the 2025 mega auction. It looked a shrewd punt at the time; he struck six times in his opening two outings, drawing praise from mentor Zaheer Khan. “Shardul’s energy was exactly what we needed,” Khan said then. Yet consistency deserted the seamer. Across ten matches he took 13 wickets and leaked 11 runs an over, leaving LSG seeking balance elsewhere.
A switch to MI offers familiar surroundings. Thakur captains Mumbai in domestic cricket and has long spoken of his comfort at Wankhede Stadium. “Bowling here feels like coming home,” he remarked during a Ranji Trophy match last winter, hinting at unfinished business in the city’s blue and gold.
For MI, who endured patches of thin bowling depth last season, Thakur’s ability to swing the new ball and contribute late-order runs addresses two immediate needs. Head coach Mark Boucher noted recently that the franchise “wants bowlers who can change games in three balls”, a brief that suits Thakur when rhythm matches ambition.
The deal also frees up purse space for LSG ahead of the 2026 auction, where they are expected to target a top-order batter and a death-overs specialist. With the trade window open until mid-December, further movement is likely as clubs finesse their lists before the mini sale.
In effect, both parties back themselves: MI trusting a home-grown player to rediscover his spark, LSG banking on greater flexibility in the market. Whether Thakur’s third trade finally gives him a long-term platform remains to be seen, but few doubt he will relish another crack at his hometown franchise.
