Hardik wants Shardul to be at MI 'for the rest of your career'

After hopping across six franchises, Shardul returned home with a match-winning three-for

Shardul Thakur had to wait a long time for this moment. After spending three seasons with Mumbai Indians (MI) as a net bowler between 2011 and 2013, he finally turned out for them in IPL 2026, after having played for six other teams - most-recently with Lucknow Super Giants, who traded him to MI.

And the wait could hardly have had a better payoff, as he marked his long-awaited MI debut with a match-winning 3 for 39 to earn the Player-of-the-Match award against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Shardul's performance on a Wankhede deck that produced 444 runs helped kick off MI's campaign with a win - their first opening-game victory since 2012.

"I told him [Shardul] this season, enough hopping of franchises. I want you to be here for the rest of your career," MI captain Hardik Pandya revealed at the post-match presentation. "He's a character, he has a big heart. The way he comes out and always tries to outsmart a batter, it's simply brilliant. Really happy for him."

KKR had raced to 68 for no loss when Shardul was thrown the ball for the final over of the powerplay. And he struck off his second delivery to dismiss the dangerous Finn Allen for 37 off just 17 balls when the batter dragged a slower delivery down to long-on.

"I've said this before - I like challenges," Shardul said. "This was one of the challenging situations I had to bowl in, especially the sixth over. The game went on, of course. [Trent] Boult, [Jasprit] Bumrah and Hardik bowling upfront, you'd expect some wickets, but today it didn't happen for us. Coming in and bowling that sixth over, it was challenging. But challenges are what have made me till now. Today was one of those performances."

Shardul went down memory lane when asked about bowling at the Wankhede. He jogged his mind back to the early days, when he first served as a net bowler for the franchise. Over the years, he played key roles for Mumbai in two Ranji Trophy triumphs (2012-13 and 2015-16), before breaking into the national team. Last season, he lead Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy after Ajinkya Rahane stepped down.Shardul Thakur struck with his second ball against KKR•BCCI

"I've had bittersweet memories at this ground," he said. "To play for MI is special. I was a net bowler as an upcoming boy, been with the team in 2010, 2011 and 2012 seasons, quietly bowling here, making my mark. Since then, it was always going to happen. It's finally happened that I'm in Mumbai Indians playing for my home team. It feels special."

Having come into his seventh IPL team, Shardul couldn't be happier to receive the kind of backing he has. Responding to Hardik's plea of trying to stay with the franchise for the rest of the career, Shardul said: "I'll be very happy if I stay here, it's home city. The kind of backing I had coming here was amazing, thank you to the MI family for backing me, trading me from LSG, and straightaway awarding me right from first game."

A performance such as this will invariably set social media abuzz with "Lord" Shardul memes. It's a nickname that has grown in popularity over the years, from the time of his Gabba heroics for India during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

"I like it. It's the name given by people," he said. "When people call me by that name, I feel very happy. That's the way they show love. It's not a meme, it's a positive thing. Coming here, playing tough games, there will be criticism, but with that when you perform, people show love. It's their way of showing love towards me."1:21Why was Ryan Rickelton picked ahead of Quinton de Kock?

'Felt the pressure, weight' - Rickelton on tussle with de Kock

Meanwhile, South Africa wicketkeeper-batter Ryan Rickelton repaid the faith the team management showed in him by hitting a 43-ball 81 in an opening stand of 148 that set the platform for MI's tall chase of 221.

When Rickelton finished his first season for MI with 388 runs in 14 games at 150.97 in 2025, it was widely believed he would continue to open. However, with fellow South African Quinton de Kock back into the set-up, chatter around who MI would pick to partner Rohit Sharma began to gather steam in the build-up.

"Obviously, I felt that pressure. I felt that weight," Rickelton said. "He's [de Kock] one of South Africa's greatest, and one of the IPL's star performers for many years. So to get the nod ahead, I suppose, was a bit of a relief. But I know that I've got to step up to the plate.

"To have such a quality player like Quinton behind me. It's not something I want to restrict me, but also something I won't strike freely up. Like I said, he's really helpful in trying to obviously get me right. I think he wants the best for me as well. But like I said, it's great to have him back. I'm only getting better playing with him.

"We get on really well, especially here in this team. We are really close. We spend a lot of time together. He's been extremely helpful in the nets as well, and also coaching me with stuff that he sees. He knows my game really well as well. So I enjoy, honestly, having him on the field and off the field. You know, it's really, really nice to just to be back in the changing room with him."