As Rising Pune Supergiant (RPS) fast bowler Shardul Thakur walked back to the dressing room after the team's practice session at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Uppal, on Saturday evening, he had some guards to keep the strangers at bay.
The Mumbai bowler is enjoying all the attention that he is finally getting through RPS after a year where he went unnoticed for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP).
Life has never been easy for someone like Thakur, who had to prove himself at every point of his career.
All his hard work and efforts is now bearing fruit for the 25-year-old, who has picked up 11 wickets in 11 games for RPS. He, along with left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat, have been the force behind Steve Smith & Co making the final of IPL-10.
Before being bought by RPS this season for his base price of Rs 2 million, the right-arm seamer was cooling his heels in the dressing room for KXIP for two years.
He also created controversy when he vented his frustration of being ignored by the Punjab franchise time and again.
But it was not to be this year. In a new team, Thakur came into his own as a much-improved bowler, with a number of variations and extra pace added to his armoury.
He wasn't just economical but also gave crucial breakthroughs to Pune, the latest being in the Qualifier 1 against Mumbai Indians where he fetched three crucial wickets.
"Last year, he did not get a chance while playing for Kings XI, but I told him to not get frustrated and keep calm and keep improving," said Thakur's childhood coach, Dinesh Lad.
"Shardul is a stubborn character and if he is given a challenge, he will accept it and come out with flying colours. He was hardly getting any chances in Punjab. He would be dropped out at the last moment after being assured earlier of a place in XI. But I told him to keep fighting," he added.
Lad was all praise for his lad developing variations in his bowling.
"I was pleasantly shocked to see those slower ones to Brendon McCullum from him. I asked him how did he get them. He said he had worked on them after the domestic T20s," Lad said.
Thakur fight hasn't been restricted to the IPL. He was called overweight and unfit to play cricket when he made his Mumbai Ranji debut.
"You saw how he came back next year. He was the top wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy. He has always been determined and loves to work hard," said Lad.
N ZONE
11
No. of wickets Shardul Thakur has taken in this year's IPL in 11 outings for RPS
