‘Normal won’t work’: How Hardik Pandya inspired Shivang Kumar to reinvent himself

Shivang Kumar was roped in by Sunrisers Hyderabad after his exploits in the MPL. (OR) New Delhi: For most young cricketers, the safest route is often the most obvious. If you are a talented top order batsman then keep batting. If you are a handy left arm spinner, you continue to bowl. Shivang Kumar chose otherwise.The Bundelkhand Bulls Madhya Pradesh League (MPLT20) all-rounder knew early on that being good at both may not be enough in modern cricket. To make a name for himself, he felt he needed something different—something that would make people take notice.“As a batsman, I thought I was a very good top-order batsman. Also, I always tried to be an asset to the team and I was always looking at what else I could contribute. You know by taking wickets, you become an all-rounder in the side. The demands of the game are different now. Normal won’t work, you need two or three variations as a ball. Then I created a ball on a ball. And that’s how I became a ball when I was developing my car. very a good combination,” he told TimesofIndia.com in a virtual interaction.The transition was anything but straightforward. The naturally attacking batsman who turned left-handed has drawn skepticism. There were times when those around him questioned whether he had made the right decision.“Yes, that (criticism) came many times. People around me said it just ruins your own career. You should focus on your bat. You spin well with your left arm, but I knew it wasn’t enough. If I also become like the others, who will give me a chance even at the top. So I have the advantage of having a different mindset and thinking that I was able to do.”That desire to be different was not only shaped by cricket. It was reinforced at home, where his parents often viewed his future through a different lens.While his mother worried about studies and the uncertainty that comes with playing the sport professionally, his father, a senior ticket inspector in the Indian Railways, encouraged the cricket dream.“My mother is a teacher. She prioritized academics. And my father played sports. So there was a lot of conflict between them,” he explained.“So my father said now let him play. Now let him concentrate on cricket. He will learn, he will handle it. This clash used to go on.”

The demands of the game are different now. Normal won’t work. As a pitcher, you need two or three variations. So I became Chinese in developing my carrom ball

Shivang Kumar

The sacrifices made by his family remain central to Shivang’s story. The hours spent traveling to matches and training sessions often came with worries and anxieties at home.Sure, there was a cricket connection at home. Praveen Kumar, his father, played U-19 cricket for Bengal before joining the Indian Railways.The father assured his son that he would continue playing cricket even when the opportunity of employment with the railways came up.It helped that he promoted himself in various competitions. He put on an explosive batting display in MPLT20 2025 for Bhopal Leopards which earned him a sensational price of Rs 13 crore from Bundelkhand Bulls.

Shivang Kumar smashed the fastest fifty in MPL during the recent match between Bundelkhand Bulls and Malwa Stallions. (Instagram)

Not only batting but also bowling worked its magic. He picked 10 wickets, including a fifer against Karnataka, in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He took eight wickets in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.His work with bat and ball saw Sunrisers Hyderabad splash Rs 30 crore on him ahead of IPL 2026. He took nine wickets in 13 matches, including 3/33 against Punjab Kings.“When I was travelling, they were worried. And my mother often asked. So now I hope I have been able to justify their struggle. I have been able to justify their sacrifices. I will do more. That’s all I hope for,” said 24-year-old Shivang.If his parents disagreed along the way, his father and brother played a major role in shaping the cricketer he eventually became.

Shivang Kumar (R) with his father Praveen. (photo by special arrangement)

“First of all, I would like to give a lot of credit to my brother. In the beginning, I wasn’t so interested in doing it or passing it on. But there was a demand for the game because a left-handed spinner didn’t often bowl against a left-hander. Because left-handers tend to dominate. So I developed a carrom ball for that situation. Then the carrom ball became a good asset for me.”His father, meanwhile, saw the potential in combining high-quality batting with rare bowling skill.“My father keeps saying that you don’t justify your own talent. That if you are such a good batsman, you should score runs. You are doing chinaman bowling which is a rare community in this world of cricket. The combination you have at this time. My father used to say 2-3 years back that I have become such a unique combination. That there is no one else like you in the world.”Watching players who could influence games in multiple ways was also an inspiration. One name stood out — Hardik Pandya.

SRH spinner Shivang Kumar during IPL 2026. (BCCI Photo)

“And I also feel good because I also thought how can I be different. Because when I saw Hardik Pandya during his early days, he was completely different. When he came to bat, he looked like a batsman. And when he was a bowler, he looked like a bowler. I also wanted to do something similar for my team. And I wanted to become a valuable asset to the team at the age of 5. So that was the only vision that would be possible in my mind. to justify my own talent.”His rise has since taken him from domestic cricket to the IPL where he has shared dressing rooms with some of the biggest names in the game. The experience, he says, was more grounding than overwhelming.“For that, it’s a humbling experience. No one gets a chance so soon… people around me are good and they keep telling me to have no attitude and stick to my strengths and work. God gave you a chance, he chose you and you should respect that. Be thankful to God that you’re getting a good platform and people around you believe in you.”Back home, Shivang believes the MPL has played a significant role in creating opportunities for players across Madhya Pradesh, including himself.To make it clear that he is not a one-trick pony, he slammed a 17-ball 65 against Malwa Stallions during the MPL earlier this month. His seven fours and five sixes after picking two wickets in the first innings saw Bundelkhand Bulls clear the target of 216 runs with 5 balls to spare.“I mean I would like to give a lot of credit to the MPL as well. The way this new talent is coming out. I didn’t even know there was such good talent in the MP. Until last year I was also a talent. But coming here from the IPL, I see how good the talent is. And the MPL, which I think is the top state league. A lot of talent comes from here.”As more players from the state find opportunities at the highest level, Shivang sees it as proof that the system is working.“And 10-12 players from MP have been in different IPL teams this time. So it’s a matter of great respect. 10-12 IPL players are from MP. And they are playing. And they are also the main players in their teams. So something good is happening with MPL.”However, the journey is far from complete for Shivanga. The batsman turned Chinese bowler did so because he believed standing out was the only way forward. The challenge now is to ensure that uniqueness translates into sustained success.