IPL 2024: In Yash Thakur, Lucknow Super Giants Unveil Another Gem of the Season
(Photo: BCCI)
In recent matches, Lucknow Super Giants have been riding high on their latest find Mayank Yadav – the prodigious pacer who clicked 156.7 kmph. But when they met Gujarat Titans on Sunday (7 April), the spotlight fell squarely on Yash Thakur.
Starting his 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with a challenge against the resurgent Riyan Parag and Rajasthan Royals' skipper, Sanju Samson, Yash faced a tough outing. After a challenging spell, where he conceded 43 runs in three overs with an economy rate of 14.3 runs per over, the 25-year-old found himself warming the bench in LSG's subsequent match against Punjab Kings.
Yash recorded his maiden five-wicket haul against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, 7 April.
Reflecting on his triumph, Yash shared the sage advice imparted by his captain, KL Rahul, during the post-match conference.
At one stage, the Titans seemed poised for victory with a solid 47-run partnership in just 5 overs, showing no signs of slowing down in pursuit of their modest target of 163 runs. It was then that Yash Thakur was entrusted with the ball for the final over of the powerplay. Rising to the occasion, he justified the faith put in him by providing a crucial breakthrough as he castled Shubman Gill.
Reflecting on his first wicket of the evening, Yash shared insights into his strategy.
Entering his final over, he clinched the crucial wicket of Rahul Tewatia, a renowned power-hitter and master of late comebacks, ensuring that the left-handed batter couldn't spoil the Super Giants' night. The fifer was completed by dismissing Noor Ahmad.
Thakur didn’t grab eyeballs for his express pace. Rather, it was his adeptness in varying his lengths and speed which garnered praises.
While the Vidarbha pacer acknowledges the significance of pace, he remains cognizant of his own strengths.
It was MS Dhoni’s exploits in the 2011 World Cup that inspired Yash to get enrolled in Hinganikar’s academy and become a cricketer.
Unlike the swift progression often associated with pace bowlers, Yash’s journey to the IPL stage has seen hard work of 13 years. Surprisingly, Yash didn't start his cricketing voyage as a bowler, let alone a pace bowler. In his formative years, he was captivated by MS Dhoni's heroics in the 2011 World Cup.
As Yash transitioned towards specialising in pace bowling, he found inspiration in Indian pacer and Vidarbha stalwart, Umesh Yadav. It was Umesh's encouragement, coupled with years of toil in the domestic circuit, that eventually led to Yash's recognition.
His stellar performances, boasting impressive bowling averages of 14.4, an economy rate of 6.7, and a strike rate of 12.9 in T20s for Vidarbha, caught the attention of IPL scouts, paving the way for his selection in an IPL team.
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