Delhi Capitals’ Madhav Tiwari: ‘ziddi’ boy who only wanted to bat but became a match winner with the ball

Madhav Tiwari (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals IPL 2026 campaign hung in the balance when 22-year-old Madhav Tiwari got his first game of the season against Punjab Kings. DC needed 41 runs off 21 balls and David Miller had just departed. Facing the very first ball of his IPL career, Madhav stayed calm, went off the back foot and steered it past square for a boundary. He smashed a six in the next over and followed it up with a four to help Delhi Capitals seal the deal in style.He had already claimed the valuable wicket of Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly before making this winning cameo. Madhav was declared the man of the match. On Sunday in Delhi, the youngster got another opportunity in a do-or-die clash against Rajasthan Royals and once again showed style. He picked up the wicket of the dangerous Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and later removed Shubham Dubey in another crucial win for Delhi Capitals.Two matches into his IPL career, Madhav has shown why Delhi Capitals rate him so highly. But those who have watched him closely over the years are hardly surprised. Madhav had already built a reputation in Madhya Pradesh cricket circles as a stubborn youngster who simply refused to back down from difficult situations.

A boy who just wanted to bat

Growing up in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh and growing up in Indore, Madhav had only one dream – a bat, a bat and only a bat. Bowling was never part of Madhav’s cricket plan. His father Awadhesh Tiwari, who runs a shop, was also convinced that his son was destined to become a batsman before introducing him to former Indian cricketer Amay Khurasia at his academy.After Khurasija asked Madhav to bowl, the youngster looked completely disinterested. Khurasija simply said, “Jao bowling karo.” Madhav picked up the ball and bowled a few deliveries. Khurasija immediately saw something in him.

Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi returns to the pavilion after losing a wicket to Delhi Capitals’ Madhav Tiwari during their Indian Premier League 2026 match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. (ANI Photo/Jitender Gupta)

Khurasiya’s next words to Madhav were, “Bowling Jyada, time mile to bat. It’s final.”The next few days saw Madhav juggling both bowling and batting, but he soon understood what his coach wanted from him and followed the instructions. Khurasija knew the potential this young man had.For Khurasiyu, Madhav is a “ziddi” and “Kharaab situation” player: someone who thrives under pressure. Khurasiya’s faith in Madhav is now paying off on the biggest T20 stage in the world.“At the age of 22 with such limited experience, Madhav is showing that he is made for something bigger. He is made for higher levels. He is not someone who is content to be just another player in the stream. He is destined for the ocean and to be a part of something much bigger,” Khurasiya told TimesofIndia.com.“Madhav never liked bowling, but he was forced to bowl. From the age of 12 to 14, I made sure he bowled regularly. I even took his bat many times because I saw something special in him as a bowler. Today I am extremely happy. He also took wickets and scored runs. Batting was always his first love, but he also fell in love with bowling.”“I’m sure he must be enjoying the feeling now. When he goes back to the dressing room and sees wickets next to his name, he must realize the value of that. But I will tell you he is a full-time player, not a part-time player. And he is a top-order batsman, not a lower order,” said Khurasiya, who played for 1920 India.In fact, after winning the man of the match award against PBKS, Madhav summed it up perfectly when he said, “I am 100% bowler, 100% batsman.Interestingly, despite impressing for Madhya Pradesh in age-group cricket, he did not play a single match at the senior level before entering the IPL setup.Tiwari has been a part of Bhopal Leopards in the Madhya Pradesh Premier League for the past two seasons. He enjoyed a solid campaign in the 2024 edition of the Madhya Pradesh T20 League, batting at an impressive 205.71. The youngster followed that up with another strong season in 2025, averaging 54 while maintaining a 180 strike.

Madhav Tiwari – “Kharaab Situation” Player.

Khurasiya went on to recall an incident in a local tournament when Madhav, despite suffering a broken thumb, convinced him to let him go to the middle and bowl.“I can’t forget that day. He was very young and we were playing an under-12 club tournament. Our team was on the back foot. The kid was sitting with me with a broken thumb. He was bandaged and swollen. You can understand what happens to a kid in an under-12 game when he gets hit by the ball,” he said.

Delhi Capitals’ Madhav Tiwari celebrates (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

“He kept asking me over and over again, ‘Sir, chief jaaun? Chief jita dunga. I promise.’ I asked him to stay calm and watch the match. After a few minutes he asked me again. The wall of the penal laga. Finally, I said, ‘Go,'” Khurasia recalled.“Believe me, he took wickets with a broken thumb and helped the team win. He is a real ‘kharaab situation’ player. Match phase mein hoga, he would say, ‘Main jitaake launga’,” Khurasiya said.

Missing sister’s wedding

Madhav’s commitment to cricket and his desire to perform have always been immense. In fact, such was his devotion to the game that he once missed one of the biggest occasions in the family – his sister’s wedding – due to cricketing commitments.“We were really sad. Just three days before his sister’s wedding, he had to leave for a tournament in Mumbai where he was supposed to stay for 9-10 days. He said it was important and I respected his feelings. We dropped him off at the airport and we all cried. But he came back with the winning trophy,” Awadhesh told Timesofindia.com.

Delhi Capitals’ Madhav Tiwari tries to catch (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

“And now when I see him winning matches and awards for Delhi Capitals on TV, I feel so proud. People here know me now. They say, ‘Madhav ke papa jaa rahe hain,'” said the proud father.It is still very early and there is still a long way to go, but in just two occasions the youngster has already shown that he has the ability to win matches with both bat and ball.It’s just a small sample size for now, but the glimpses have been exciting enough to suggest that the Delhi Capitals may have found a player for the future — someone who, if nurtured properly, can aspire to greater things ahead.