'All we want is a fair opportunity': Shardul Thakur advocates for even bat vs ball contests in IPL

Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Shardul Thakur has called upon the BCCI to eliminate entertainment-focused elements like high-scoring pitches and the Impact Player rule in the 2025 Indian Premier League season, advocating for a more balanced contest between batsmen and bowlers.
The current IPL 2025 season has already witnessed 10 matches with scores exceeding 200 runs out of 11 games played, highlighting the dominance of batters in the tournament.
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Sunrisers Hyderabad nearly broke their own IPL record when they scored 286 for six in their opening match, falling just one run short of their highest team total set in 2024.
"It is not what I want, but it is what the bowlers want. A lot of them might not be outspoken or they might not get a chance to speak in front of media or give interviews about the pitch conditions. All that the bowlers are asking is to prepare the pitch in such a manner that the game hangs in balance and it should not be just one-sided where batters are coming and smashing us, because all we want is a fair chance and fair opportunity in the game," Thakur stated ahead of Lucknow's first home game against Punjab Kings.
In IPL 2024, teams recorded 41 totals exceeding 200 runs in 74 matches, indicating a continuing trend of high-scoring games.
Thakur also addressed the Impact Player rule's influence on match outcomes, while emphasising that batting-friendly pitches were the primary cause of high scores.
"We have already seen the rule change and the Impact Player rule coming in, so every team is potentially playing an extra batter, especially while chasing or even let's say you are batting first, then [everyone] is going in with that depth, because they have now an opportunity to change the batter and call a bowler while defending or vice versa," he explained.
"The Impact Player rule is an entertainment factor and games change a lot, but that these 250 scores are being made is not only because of this rule change, but also because of the way the pitches are being made. We are just saying as a bowling unit that give us a fair and square chance where we can get a batsman out."
Thakur, who initially went unsold in the IPL mega auction, joined Lucknow Super Giants as a replacement for injured fast bowler Mohsin Khan.
He has already claimed six wickets in his two appearances this season, including a four-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad.