Madhya Pradesh spinner Shivang Kumar made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad of their conflict against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, April 2, on the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The left-arm wrist-spinner got here in for pacer Eshan Malinga, who leaked 35 runs in two overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in SRH’s IPL 2026 opener.
Hailed as India’s Noor Ahmad, Shivang has constructed a status for troubling batters together with his left-arm spin whereas additionally providing worth as a lower-order batter, making him one of many extra intriguing uncapped names in IPL 2026. Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped up the 23-year-old for Rs 30 lakh finally 12 months’s mini public sale.
IPL 2026, KKR vs SRH | Updates | Scorecard
Shivang caught the eye during the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this 12 months, producing a breakout efficiency for Madhya Pradesh. He picked up 10 wickets in three matches at a powerful financial system fee of 5.16 and in addition registered his maiden five-wicket haul in a win over Karnataka in Ahmedabad. That spell firmly positioned him on the radar as one among SRH’s shrewdest low-cost acquisitions.
In 4 T20 matches to this point, Shivang has claimed 4 wickets at an financial system fee of 8.05. His greatest figures of 4-0-25-3 got here against Bihar at Eden Gardens in the course of the earlier version of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
HOW SHIVAM KUMAR BROKE INTO THE IPL
Before the IPL 2026 public sale, Shivang Kumar attended trials with Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, all of whom gave him encouraging suggestions. Sunrisers Hyderabad additionally invited him twice, however he couldn’t attend on account of scheduling clashes with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and a cancelled session.
Even so, the constructive response from a number of franchises satisfied Shivang that his IPL breakthrough was solely a matter of time, making SRH’s eventual backing all of the extra particular.
Shivang’s cricket journey has been deeply formed by his father, Praveen Kumar, a Railways worker and former Bengal Ranji cricketer. Growing up in Rewa, a area recognized for producing pacers like Kuldeep Sen and Ishwar Pandey, Shivang discovered the sport below his father’s watchful eye.
One of Praveen’s boldest selections was turning him from a right-arm bowler right into a left-arm spinner, regardless of Shivang being naturally right-handed, a transfer he later known as his father’s “masterpiece.”
A key turning level got here after he didn’t make the Under-14 staff and give up cricket for 5 months. However, impressed by MS Dhoni’s biopic and inspired by his brother, Shivang returned with renewed willpower.
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– Ends
