New Delhi, Dec 8 (LatestNewsX) – Shardul Thakur, India’s seam‑bowling all‑rounder, revealed that veteran opener Rohit Sharma helped him feel at ease and encouraged him to speak up; a feeling he’s keen to revisit at the Mumbai Indians’ camp ahead of the 2026 IPL season.
Before the retention deadline, Thakur shifted from Lucknow Super Giants to the Mumbai Indians, the club he once supported as a bowler back in 2010. On Monday, the franchise’s website quoted him: “Abhi aur pata chalega jab sath me baithenge toh. Kaafi masti hogi. He made me comfortable, he allowed me to be free with him, and he allowed me to express myself. We became comfortable with each other, and he played a major part in it.”
With 13 Tests, 47 ODIs, and 25 T20Is for India, Thakur reflected that his early exposure to the MI dressing room in 2010 cemented a professional mindset that drives him to reach higher levels.
He added, “I was made to play practice games. I bowled with a new ball, so that boosted my morale and confidence to another level, and I was picking wickets. I was lucky enough to experience the dressing row early in my days.”
Continuing, “I was already feeling comfortable in front of senior players. Somewhere down the line, whatever the way I was treated during the Mumbai Indians camp, also, that small gesture from the Mumbai Indians helped me a lot to grow in my career.”
Now featuring for Mumbai in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Thakur credits MI Director of Cricket Rahul Sanghvi and bowling coach Paras Mhambrey for their everyday guidance that has refined his professional growth.
He finished with, “I was seeing Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Andrew Symonds, Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu… and I’m sharing the same dressing room with them. It was surreal.”
The Mumbai Indians, alongside Chennai Super Kings, remain the league’s most decorated franchises, each boasting five titles. MI have drafted Thakur to bolster their squad, eyeing a sixth championship in the 2026 IPL.
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