The Indian Premier League has long been a launchpad for young cricketers, giving emerging talents the chance to test themselves on the biggest stage alongside some of the best players in the world. With every franchise placing greater emphasis on scouting and long-term squad building, identifying promising youngsters has become a key part of team strategy.
Sunrisers Hyderabad appear to have unearthed one such prospect in Shivang Kumar. The left-arm wrist-spinner made his IPL debut this season and impressed with his ability to offer something different. Wrist spinners are valuable assets in T20 cricket, and left-arm wrist spinners are even rarer. Recognising his potential, SRH skipper Pat Cummins persisted with Shivang throughout the campaign and handed him 13 appearances in his maiden season. The youngster picked up nine wickets and often bowled in challenging situations, finishing with an economy rate of 9.62. While the numbers only tell part of the story, his performances provided enough glimpses of promise to make him one of the franchise’s notable finds of the season.
Shivang did not get many chances to showcase his batting during the IPL, largely because of SRH’s power-packed line-up. However, he has been making up for that in the Madhya Pradesh League, where he has displayed his ability with the bat as well. In a recent innings, the youngster blasted a half-century off just 13 deliveries, underlining his aggressive approach and fearless strokeplay. It was the kind of knock that reflected the attacking brand of cricket SRH have become known for, suggesting Shivang has quickly embraced that mindset.
The 24-year-old, currently representing Bundelkhand Bulls, spoke exclusively to Hindustan Times Digital about his breakthrough IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad and the quick turnaround to the Madhya Pradesh League, where he has continued to build on the confidence gained from his maiden campaign in the tournament.
Here are the excerpts from the interview:
You have had to switch quickly from the IPL to the MPL. How challenging is it to adapt to a different setup and environment in such a short span of time?
“I did not feel at all that I was missing out on anything by moving from the IPL to here. The facilities here through MPL are the same, the floodlights are good, the wickets are good, and the hospitality is also very good. So I did not feel that I was missing anything from the IPL here. For me, there is nothing different here at this point.
Having been part of both the Bundelkhand Bulls and Sunrisers Hyderabad setups this year, what similarities and differences have you noticed between the two teams in terms of culture, preparation and approach?
Coming from Sunrisers and now being part of Bundelkhand, the similarities are quite a lot. The players are very good. I was not there during practice, but from the feedback I received, the players are excellent. Even in our team, Abhishek Batta is an explosive batter and has already proven himself in the last two seasons. I just keep thinking about how I can carry forward the SRH mentality here. I am a chinaman bowler, and in a way I am also providing a top-order batting role to the team. Hopefully, I can contribute as a strength for my team.
You recently smashed a 13-ball half-century for Bundelkhand Bulls. Did your stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad help improve your batting and instil the fearless approach that has become a hallmark of their batting unit?
SRH changed my mindset a lot. I was already an attacking batter, but after going there, I understood that this is the brand of cricket that is being played now, and this is how T20 cricket should be played. The trend is to attack in the powerplay, and we are seeing that especially with RR too, with players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hitting aggressively. Even in our team, players like Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan—you name it—are playing that way. So I was carrying forward that same trend. The SRH blood came into me. I just wanted to attack in the powerplay and take my team forward in that direction.
We’ve often seen young players enjoy a breakthrough season and then struggle to maintain that momentum. What advice or message did you receive from the SRH management after the IPL season to help you stay grounded and continue progressing?
The IPL is a great leveller. One day you will do well, another day you may take three wickets, and the next day you may go for 40 runs in three overs. So you should not take anything to heart. Just stay humble and grounded. Back your abilities and there is no need to think too much.
This season, you’ve had the opportunity to play under both Pat Cummins and Ishan Kishan. What differences have you noticed between their leadership styles, and what have you learned from each of them?
“With Ishan bhaiya, I got a lot of freedom. I felt Pat gives the same kind of freedom too. The way they back you, even when boundaries are being hit, they still support the bowlers. Pat used to come and ask me sometimes whether my ball was not going well, and then say, ‘Shivanka are you all right.’ Even those small gestures are enough to make me believe that I can do better. Pat is a very responsible figure in SRH and even in the Australian team. Sharing a dressing room with him and hearing him say, ‘You are the main weapon of our team,’ is very encouraging. Ishan bhaiya keeps the atmosphere light, it is very easy to talk to him, and the bonding between captain and player becomes very good. He is tactically very smart too and understands the mentality of Indian batters. That helped me a lot. “When we spoke with Pat, Varun bhaiya, and even Daniel Vettori sir, they always told me to keep in mind what I need to execute.
With T20 cricket increasingly becoming a format where batters attack from the very first ball, how does a young bowler like you prepare to handle that pressure and continue evolving your game?
Boundaries will be hit even on good balls, but if the ball is not executed properly, then focus on the execution. Don’t focus on what is happening at the other end. Even a good ball can be hit for a boundary, and then it feels like, what ball should I bowl now? But the batter facing you is also among the world’s top batters. No one in the IPL is ordinary. So you have to respect that fact too. Good shots will be played, but you have to stay one step ahead. You need a strong mindset and must bowl a very good delivery to take the wicket. You must force the batter into a rash shot. The main lesson I learned from them is: don’t worry about your runs, just pick wickets and you are done.
