Madhya Pradesh spinner Shivang Kumar made his IPL debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad in their clash against Kolkata Knight Riders on Thursday, April 2 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. The left-arm wrist spinner hit pacer Eshan Malinga, who conceded 35 runs in two overs against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in SRH’s IPL 2026 opener.
Known as India’s Noor Ahmad, Shivang has built a reputation for troubling batsmen with his left-arm spin while also offering value as a lower-order batsman, making him one of the most intriguing uncapped names in IPL 2026. Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped up the 23-year-old for a minimum price of Rs 30 crore in last year’s auction.
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Shivang impressed during the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this year, producing a breakthrough performance for Madhya Pradesh. He picked up 10 wickets in three matches at an impressive economy rate of 5.16 and also recorded his first five-wicket haul in the win over Karnataka in Ahmedabad. This spell has put him firmly on the radar as one of SRH’s shrewdest cheap signings.
In four T20 matches so far, Shivang has claimed four wickets at an economy rate of 8.05. His best figures of 4-0-25-3 came against Bihar at the Eden Gardens during the previous Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
HOW SHIVAM KUMAR BREAKED INTO IPL
Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, Shivang Kumar took part in trials with Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals, all of whom gave him encouraging feedback. Sunrisers Hyderabad also invited him twice but he was unable to attend due to scheduled clashes with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and a canceled session.
Even so, the positive response from several franchises has convinced Shivang that his breakthrough in the IPL is only a matter of time, making the eventual support for SRH all the more special.
Shivanga’s cricketing journey was deeply influenced by his father Praveen Kumar, a railway employee and former Bengal Ranji cricketer. Growing up in Rewa, a region known for producing pacers like Kuldeep Sen and Ishwar Pandey, Shivang learned the game under the watchful eye of his father.
One of Praveen’s boldest decisions was to convert him from a right-arm bowler to a left-arm spinner despite Shivang being naturally right-handed, a move he later called “his father’s masterpiece”.
A key turning point came after he failed to make the Under-14 team and quit cricket for five months. However, inspired by MS Dhoni’s biopic and encouraged by his brother, Shivang returned with renewed determination.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
02 Apr 2026 19:49 IST
