When it came to uncapped Indian players, Yash Thakur of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) was undoubtedly one of the tournament’s biggest discoveries. Suryakumar Yadav, a star player for the Mumbai Indians (MI), was one of the notable players he took out for Lucknow during some difficult overs he bowled.
The match between LSG and MI during the league stage was significant because both teams needed two points to almost qualify for the playoffs.
Thakur provided the crucial breakthrough for “SKY,” as the star batter could only scoop the slower delivery onto his own stumps, just as MI appeared to be coasting to the target.
In an exclusive interview with News18 CricketNext, Yash Thakur discussed how he organized the removal of Suryakumar Yadav.
“At the specific moment that Suryakumar Yadav was batting, we always knew that if he got set, he would just smash us into every part of the ground. To keep it simple for him and not make a big effort was the plan.“
“He is a smart guy, and if I had tried something (different), he would have destroyed me for a six. We needed wickets at that particular time, so captain Krunal Pandya advised me to trust in my abilities.“
“The strategy on my end was straightforward because I didn’t want to give him room to spread his arms, and I was able to hit the blockhole and free him. “
He continued, “I’ll also add:” The celebration was impulsive because I was only focused on getting that wicket from the very first ball of the game because Suryakumar was in excellent form and I knew if I got his wicket the game would go in my team’s favor. I was successful in removing him. “Yash Thakur on his bowling strike to Rinku Singh.
Yash Thakur also stepped up and made a crucial play in the final over of their league match against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). To keep their fate in their own hands, LSG needed to win, so Thakur was required to stop Rinku Singh for 20 runs despite his recent form.
The young pacer maintained his composure, enabling Lucknow to win the game by one run and advance to the postseason. He said the following about bowling to the dangerous KKR southpaw:
“Since the off-side boundary was a bit long and the leg-side boundaries were short at the time, I was considering bowling wide because Rinku was in excellent form.”
“Since he wasn’t expecting it from me, I tried to use that against him by mixing it up with a bouncer. I took my time and maintained my composure because every ball in such circumstances counts.“
“I was approached by Krunal Pandya as well, who advised me to “take a deep breath and think about your plan.” I stayed true to my plan and did not consider anything else. “
If the young pacer performs consistently, India may find a genuine pace option, at least in T20 Internationals, thanks to Yash Thakur’s ability to remain composed under pressure.