Shardul Thakur's Golden Response to Virender Sehwag Calling Him 'Lord'

Shardul Thakur’s clean-hitting prowess against Royal Challengers Bangalore has garnered appreciatory remarks from legendary Indian batter Virender Sehwag. Shardul’s heroic knock on April 6 paved the way for Kolkata Knight Riders’ maiden victory of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. KKR wicketkeeper-batter Rahamanullah Gurbaz, during a conversation post the match, informed his teammate about Sehwag’s Tweet. Shardul, with a wide smile, responded in the best way possible. “Paaji, aap se hi to seekhe hai. Aap to Guru ho clean hitting ke. Aapse accha kaun maarta hai fast bowler ko? Hum bhi dekh dekh ke hi seekhe hai. (Sir, I have learnt it from you only. Who else could hit a fast bowler better than you? We have learnt by watching you play)," Shardul said.

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After enduring a disappointing defeat in the season opener, KKR were determined to turn the table around when they hosted Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 6. Except for Rahamanullah Gurbaz, their top order failed to spend a longer period at the crease. The team was reeling at 89/5 when Shardul Thakur came in and joined hands with Rinku Singh.

The duo stitched an innings-reviving 103-run partnership, taking KKR to a massive total of 207 runs in 20 overs. While Rinku returned to the pavilion for 46 off 33 balls, Shardul continued to brutally punish the opponent bowlers. The 31-year-old batter notched up a crucial half-century, scoring 68 runs in just 29 deliveries. His knock was decorated with 9 boundaries and 3 maximums.

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Shardul’s knock is now the third-best individual score by a No 7 batter in the IPL, while the partnership with Rinku is also the third-highest for the 6th wicket or below. Referring to the out-of-the-box batting, Virender Sehwag dropped a Tweet on his personal handle, labelling Shardul Thakur and Rinku Singh as “lords." The former Indian opener noted, “Lord Shardul. Lord Rinku. Zabardast clean hitting."

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Coming to chase the mammoth target, the RCB batting line suffered a rare collapse as they were bundled out for 123 runs. Only three batters from their side managed to breach the 20-run mark while as many as six players recorded a single-digit score. Among the KKR bowlers, Varun Chakravarty wrapped up the match with four wickets under his belt. Suyash Sharma, who was subbed in as an impact player, had an unforgettable IPL debut. The youngster ripped through Bangalore’s lower order, picking up three wickets.

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