The huge price tag of Shardul Thakur became an “issue” for the Delhi Capitals who have decided to release the seam-bowling all-rounder along with 4 other players ahead of the IPL 2023 mini-auction.
Along with Thakur, it has been learned that the Capitals have also made up their mind to part ways with wicket-keeper KS Bharat, New Zealander Tim Seifert, batter Mandeep Singh, and Andhra opener Ashwin Hebbar.
Shardul Thakur was brought for 10.75 crores in the last mega-auction
The Rishabh Pant-led franchise apparently feels that Shardul Thakur didn’t give returns good enough to justify such a high price of 10.75 crores, for which he was bought in the mega-auction. The Palghar-born cricketer had an ordinary IPL 2022 season: 15 wickets in 14 matches while leaking runs at a high economy of 9.78 and scoring 120 runs with the bat at a strike rate of 137.
Shardul failed to make any significant impact to the Capitals’ campaign, the franchise finished 5th in the 10-team tournament and failed to reach the playoffs when they needed to defeat Mumbai Indians, the bottom-placed team.
“Shardul is a premium all-rounder but his price tag was an issue. The others who are set to be released are Hebbar, Mandeep, Seifert and Bharat,” an IPL source told PTI.
Delhi Capitals had also tried to him to other teams – there were reports of DC approaching CSK for an exchange of Thakur and Axar Patel for CSK all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja – but that deal couldn’t materialize.
Considering Thakur’s high price tag, the franchise has decided to release him ahead of the mini-auction in December. The deadline for announcing the list of retained and released players is November 15.
KS Bharat, Rishabh Pant’s backup keeper, didn’t get to play in a single game and Mandeep scored 18 runs in three matches. Tim Seifert played only two games for DC earlier this year, scoring 24 runs. Andhra batter Ashwin Hebbar couldn’t get in the XI and the player being let go isn’t a surprise at all.
Opener Yash Dhull, who had led India to the U-19 title earlier this year and has been in good form in domestic cricket, is likely to be retained by the Capitals.
