Why Shivang Kumar is not rushing his Indian dream after a breakthrough IPL season

Shivang Kumar was not supposed to be one of the highlights of this IPL season. He came quietly, a spinner from Madhya Pradesh, with no real fanfare surrounding his name. No big auctions, no expectations. Just a boy who worked hard in domestic cricket and earned his shot. Thirteen games and nine goals later, people are asking him questions that no one asked in March.

The batting remained largely under wraps, a consequence of SRH’s explosive line-up where options were limited in the order. But those who watched Shivang closely knew there was more to his game than just wrist spin. He started showing this side in the Madhya Pradesh League and turned with a stunning half-century, losing just 13 balls.

It was a reminder that he’s not just a bowler who can hold the bat. He is a true all-round cricketer with confidence in the game. The intent, fearlessness and range of strikes, very much in keeping with SRH’s aggressive brand of cricket, have come into their own in recent years. If IPL introduced the bowler Shivang, MPL is starting to reveal Shivang the complete package.

CHOICE TO BE DIFFERENT

Shivang saw the problem before most coaches would have told him to fix it. Left-handers have dismantled orthodox left-arm spinners in T20 cricket. The angles didn’t work anymore. Batters managed it and the wickets dried up. Rather than wait for someone to point it out, Shivang called out. He was going to learn Chinese bowling and become something the game didn’t have enough of.

“Cricket was constantly evolving and until about three or four years ago, left-armers dominated. Left-arm spinners didn’t have much success against them. I felt that if I continued with the same skill set, I wouldn’t be able to progress. So I thought of doing something different,” Shivang, who currently represents Bundelkhand Bulls in the MPL, told IndiaToday.

It didn’t happen cleanly. First he started fiddling with the carrom ball, just getting used to doing something new on his wrist. The Chinese came out of it slowly, one session at a time. And while he was finding out, everyone around him had an opinion. His batting was already solid. Why was he wasting his time experimenting with bowling?

“There were many challenges. Whenever you start something new, people ask you. Many told me to just focus on batting.”

His younger brother Devang was the only person who did not waver. Devang understood the market. He knew that if Shivang wanted to play at the highest level, he couldn’t afford to be just another option. He had to be the only option.

“A lot of credit goes to my younger brother Devang. He is very visionary when it comes to cricket. He always told me that if I want to play at a higher level, I have to do something different from everyone else.”

The calculation was straightforward. Chinaman’s good batting and bowling equates to a profile that hardly exists in world cricket. That was worth pursuing. “My brother, my father and I believed that what I was doing could become something unique. That vision kept me going.”

HIS FATHER’S UNFINISHED DREAM

Every cricketer has a story behind the story. For Shivanga, it starts with his father. Praveen Kumar is a Senior Ticket Collector at Indian Railways. He had his own cricketing ambitions which never went where he hoped. Life went on, responsibilities came and the dream stayed where it was. But what he took away from the experience was not bitterness. It was an understanding.

As Shivang struggled, as form dipped and doubt crept in, his father knew exactly what it felt like. He didn’t panic. He didn’t pile up. He just kept showing up. “First of all, he never let me struggle financially. He made many sacrifices. Even though our family wasn’t always in a stable position, he made sure I had what I needed.”

Money mattered, but that wasn’t the point. More than anything, Shivang needed someone who got it, who understood that a bad run of form wasn’t the end, who had enough perspective to keep things calm when things weren’t going well. “What I’m most grateful for is that he understands the mindset of an athlete. Performance can go up and down, but he never let me lose hope.”

“He’s a great motivator. There were times when things didn’t go my way, but he always told me, ‘Keep going, Shivanga. God will reward your hard work. Just stay committed and keep working.’

SURPRISING call from SRH

This is where the story gets interesting. Shivang did not know that SRH was following him. He missed two of their Tests due to scheduled clashes with the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. There was no notice, no quiet word from an agent, nothing to suggest that one of the most exciting franchises in the IPL has him on the roster. And then they chose him.

“Honestly, my selection was quite a surprise because I didn’t know that SRH was interested in me. I even missed two of their attempts.”

His first reaction was not enthusiasm. It was a mess. Then it became real very quickly. And then he thought about what it means to be a bowler at SRH, a team whose batting line-up is truly feared by the opposition, and allowed himself a smile.

“So when they picked me, I was extremely happy. Looking at their batting line-up, as a bowler, I’d rather be in their team than against them.” What SRH gave him was not just an opportunity. It was full support. They didn’t pick him and hedged their bets. They believed in his skills, included him in the eleven and supported him in difficult operations.

“It was surprising but also very satisfying because they fully supported my abilities. The hunting spirit they shared with me is something I hope will help me perform well in the upcoming tournaments.”

A LESSON FROM CAPTAIN CUMMINS

There are things you can learn just by being in the room. Pat Cummins doesn’t give motivational speeches. He doesn’t need to. He just operates at a level that makes everyone around him recalibrate what’s possible. No excuses, no deviation, full responsibility every time. For the young Indian spinner, who has watched it closely throughout the IPL season, the impact goes beyond any coaching.

“I learned the Australian mindset from Pat Cummins. They never make excuses and always try to dominate. Even when they lose, they take responsibility. I really admired that aggressive mentality.”

Ishan Kishan gave him something else behind the stumps. Confidence. A wicketkeeper supporting his bowler completely changes the way a bowler operates. No hesitation, no guessing, just execution. Kishan gave Shivanga that platform from the very beginning.

“Ishan bhai gives me complete freedom to execute my plans. Be it googly, leg spin or fins, he trusts me. This trust helps me believe in myself even more.”

Working with Muralitharan during the timeouts was not a bowling masterclass. It was better than that. It was a perspective from someone who had been everywhere and seen everything, the kind of insight that can’t be produced in a coaching manual. And bowling at Klaasen in the nets every day drank Shivanga in a way he could never have done on his own. Klaasen is probably the best goalscorer in the world right now. Finding ways to torment him in the networks means that you come into the game with already worked out answers.

VARUN AARON’S VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

Good franchises don’t just have good players. They have a good environment. SRH have built one for their young bowlers this season, and Varun Aaron was central to it. In a tournament where one bad over can shatter a young bowler’s confidence mid-game, Aaron ensured that never happened. The message has been consistent from day one. You are here because you deserve to be here. Back myself.

“A lot of credit goes to Varun Aaron bhai. The way he treated the young bowlers and supported them was exceptional. He kept reminding us that the franchise chose us because they believed in our ability.”

Making it to the IPL is inevitable. What matters is how you answer. Aaron made sure the answer was always the same: keep attacking, keep looking for goals, keep going. “He created a very positive environment. Even when I gave up runs, he supported me and reminded me: this is the IPL, the best batsmen in the world are playing here. There was no reason to get discouraged.”

Shivang also credits Prateek, the team’s video analyst, for the preparation that sent the younger bowlers into matches feeling prepared rather than exposed.

INNOVATE LIKE A BOWLER

Defensive bowling is no longer forgiving in the IPL. Scores of 220 and 250 are routine. The batsmen are after you from the first ball and a bowler who is going to survive instead of attack is already losing the battle before he comes running.

Cummins hammered one point home to SRH bowlers all season. Gates fix everything. Get hit for a six while chasing a wicket and still control the conversation. Bowl defensively, go for runs, and you’ve lost the plot entirely.

“As a bowler, you can’t afford to be defensive. Pat Cummins would say the only way to survive is to take wickets. You might get hit for a few sixes, but if you take wickets you stay in control.”

For Shivanga, it was preaching to the converted. Chinaman bowling is not a defensive art. Leg-spin, googly, flipper, every variation he has spent years developing is designed to take wickets, not just go through the skips. Cummins’ philosophy and Shivang’s game were already pointed in the same direction.

THE INDIAN DREAM CAN WAIT

Let’s be honest about what Shivang Kumar is. It is the wrist on the left arm that can hit. This combination is almost non-existent in world cricket and India have a white-ball setup that would love to have it. Voters will eventually speak up. It’s a matter of when, not if.

Shivang knows this. He is also smart enough not to let this knowledge become a distraction. “Obviously representing India is every cricketer’s dream and I would love to make my debut one day. But I am not thinking much about it now. Whatever happens will happen at the right time.”

The foundation already exists. Years of graft in domestic cricket while people told him to change course. A father who kept the lights on and the faith alive. The brother who sold him the vision when no one else was buying. This does not produce a player who is shaken by expectations.

“Whenever the opportunity arises, I want to be ready and deliver. There’s no point in worrying about how soon it will happen.”

The IPL gave him a stage. SRH gave him faith. His family gave him everything that was before. Shivang Kumar will be ready when India calls.

– The end

Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

19 Jun 2026 11:42 IST