Shardul Thakur impresses on MI debut [Source: @mipaltan]MI all-rounder Shardul Thakur stunned fans with an astonishing spell against KKR in the second fixture of the IPL 2026 season. Thakur’s wicket-taking spree led to an uproar on social media.Mumbai Indians won the toss and opted to field first. However, strange bowling changes by captain Hardik Pandya allowed Ajinkya Rahane and Finn Allen to take control. Shardul Thakur picks up 3 wickets on MI debutWhile star bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and Trent Boult failed to get breakthroughs, Shardul Thakur stood up against the odds. He broke the opening partnership of 79 runs between Rahane and Allen by dismissing the latter.At one point, KKR looked set for 220+ easily. But Thakur sent Cameron Green packing on just 18 off 10 balls. To hit the final blow, the all-rounder dismissed set batter Ajinkya Rahane on 67 off 40, leaving KKR three wickets down at 145 runs.Until the 15th over, MI had picked up only three wickets, all by Shardul Thakur. In three overs, he conceded just 25 runs, and his spell lowered KKR’s run rate from 12-13 to below 11.That difference of 15-25 runs saved is significant in a T20 match context. Undoubtedly, fans praised Shardul Thakur on social media. Many lauded him for giving his best on his debut for the new franchise. However, a few fans also blamed KKR for throwing their wickets to Thakur.𝑨𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒊 ✧*。 @Adimyst Shardul Thakur, lord for a reason 🙌🏻 Ana de Armas stan @abhithecomic How tf does Shardul Thakur do it every fukin time???? Beyond logic! #MIvKKR Explorer @DailyExplorerX Shardul Thakur is carrying the Mumbai Indians flawless bowling attack alone at Wankhede Stadium against KKR Mar 29, 2026, 8:38 PM Swagat @0xM0rtal @CricCrazyJohns Shardul Thakur doesn’t just pick up wickets, he puts his hand up when it matters. Getting all three of Mumbai’s top order that’s more than a spell, that’s a real statement. chokers club @chokers_club You may be the best batter of the match You may be batting on 100 You may have scored 10k runs But when shardul bowls to you , u have to get out 😂 #MIvsKKR Mar 29, 2026, 8:42 PM Prabs @Pro_Prabs_NoLoL Shardul Thakur over takes Deepak chahar's MI career in his debut match #MIvsKKR Also Read - Why Quinton De Kock Is Not Playing MI Vs KKR IPL 2026 Match 2?The Shardul Thakur trade explainedInterestingly, Shardul Thakur was a tactical addition to the Mumbai Indians’ squad. Just ahead of the mini-auction, MI traded the all-rounder from LSG and gave away Arjun Tendulkar in exchange.The deal was done for his existing contract value of INR 2 crore, meaning MI didn’t bid for him, they acquired him directly via trade.MI management specifically targeted him to add depth and balance, especially in high-scoring conditions like Wankhede, and he delivered right on debut.However, his acquisition is bad news for Deepak Chahar. He missed out on the opening MI vs KKR game, and with Shardul Thakur performing at his best, it will be difficult for Chahar to find a place in the playing XI in the near future.KKR to surpass 200-run markThat being said, Shardul Thakur had a successful debut for MI as he finished his spell at three wickets for 39 runs in 4 overs. However, KKR are all set to finish strong. At 17 overs, the Knight Riders had 191 runs on the board at the loss of three wickets with Angkrish Raghuvanshi batting strongly on 45* off just 24 balls. Rinku Singh, KKR's vice-captain, is supporting him on the other hand. At this rate, KKR are set to finish with a target of somewhere close to 215-220 runs, which may be a challenging total even on the Wankhede surface.Also Read - Watch- Hasan Ali Brings Out 'This Is My Yard' Celebration After Plucking Stunner In PSL
