Shivang Kumar (BCCI photo) NEW DELHI: Shivang Kumar’s journey to the IPL is not the usual story of a smooth rise through the ranks. The 23-year-old spinner from Moradabad made his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this season, but what makes his story stand out is the mix of bold decisions, setbacks and a surprising source of inspiration, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.Picked up for Rs 30 crore in the 2026 mini-auction, Shivang’s breakthrough didn’t happen overnight.
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How Justin Langer’s faith helped Mukul Choudhary shineIt started in the railway colony of Harthala, where his father, Praveen Kumar, a chief ticket inspector and former Bengal Ranji cricketer, took up his training. One unconventional move changed everything: despite being right-handed, Shivang switched to left-handed. He later described this daring switch as “his father’s masterpiece”.
Heavy pause and break
Like many young cricketers, Shivanga’s journey has not been without doubt. After failing to make the under-14 team, he retired from cricket for five months, believing his journey had hit a dead end. The hiatus may have ended his career before it really began.But the movie changed his thinking. Watching MS Dhoni: The Untold Story made him reconsider quitting. The story of Dhoni’s struggle and rise struck a chord and helped Shivang return to the game with renewed determination.Interestingly, his story mirrors that of Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq, who also found inspiration in the same film. Tariq said, “I came back to cricket after watching MS Dhoni’s movie. After watching that movie, I felt our stories are similar… I came back to cricket only because of MS Dhoni.”
Performances that opened doors
Once Shivang returned, he let his performance do the talking. He impressed in domestic cricket, including an outstanding Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign where he picked up 10 wickets in just three matches. The five-wicket haul against Karnataka proved to be the defining moment that put him firmly on the radar of IPL scouts.Also in T20 cricket, he showed promise with a best spell of 3/25 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. These performances eventually led to opportunities in the IPL, though not without frustration. He attended trials for multiple franchises and even missed out on a few chances with Sunrisers Hyderabad due to scheduling issues.Still, SRH didn’t forget him. They went back to the auction and secured him at the base price, finally giving him the break he was waiting for.
