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In yet another development ahead of IPL 2023, Kolkata Knight Riders have traded Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur from the Delhi Capitals. According to ESPN Cricinfo, the trade got finalized on Monday and is an all-cash deal.
The 30-year-old is part of India's ODI squad for the upcoming series in New Zealand and fetched INR 10.75 crores from the Delhi Capitals at the 2022 mega IPL auction. He was one of the few cricketers along with Tim Seifert, KS Bharat, Mandeep Singh, and Ashwin Hebbar by the Capitals.
With the Indian bowling all-rounders being in demand, his former IPL team, CSK, Gujarat Titans, and Punjab Kings also attempted to buy him back; however, the Capitals did not step back.
Thakur had finished IPL 2022 with 15 scalps in 14 matches at an economy rate of 9.79. It was amongst his weakest bowling numbers since becoming an IPL regular in 2017. With the bat, the Palghar-born cricketer managed 120 runs, maintaining a strike rate of 138. The Knight Riders have also been the most active among all other franchises, with the trading window set to close on Tuesday.
Tuesday is also the deadline the IPL has designated for all sides to finalize the list of players they want to retain and release. The retention window has a scheduled closing time of Tuesday 5 pm IST. Thakur is the third player acquired by the two-time champions via trade after getting Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from the Titans in an all-cash deal.
Kolkata Knight Riders failed to qualify for the playoffs in IPL 2022
Meanwhile, the Knight Riders had a season to forget last year, having finished seventh after losing eight games out of 14. With former New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum departing, the franchise has appointed a new coach Chandrakant Pandit.
The franchise has also elevated James Foster to the position of assistant coach and appointed Ryan ten Doeschate as fielding coach. The 2012 and 2014 champions will aim for a quick turnaround in the forthcoming season.
