Left-arm wrist-spinners who bowl googlies remain extremely rare finds in cricket. Shivang Kumar represents that unique category of special bowlers. The 23-year-old from Madhya Pradesh destroys batting lineups with variations. His viral googlies caught every IPL team’s attention recently. This season begins his dream journey in cricket’s biggest league.
Shivang Kumar: The Left-Arm Mystery Spinner
Shivang Kumar hails from Rewa in Madhya Pradesh proudly. His father Praveen Kumar played Ranji Trophy for Bengal previously. Working as Chief Ticket Inspector now, he coaches Shivang still. The unusual decision to convert him to a left-arm spinner changed everything.
Shivang bats and throws right-handed everywhere else surprisingly though. Only his bowling comes from the left arm. Such rare combinations create problems for batters reading deliveries. His action draws comparisons to Noor Ahmed and Amit Mishra.
He failed to make the U14 team once which devastated him. Five months away from cricket followed that heartbreak sadly. His brother made him watch MS Dhoni’s biopic movie. Dhoni’s perseverance story brought him back to cricket motivated.
His IPL Price Journey
Sunrisers Hyderabad bought Shivang Kumar at the 2026 auction recently. They paid ₹30 lakh to secure him at the base amount. This IPL price reflects his uncapped status currently here. Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals trialled him.
All three franchises gave positive feedback after watching him. However, scheduling conflicts prevented SRH trials unfortunately. The price will increase after IPL performances eventually.
His IPL Team Future
He joins Sunrisers Hyderabad for his debut season. His 2026 IPL team scouted him thoroughly before bidding confidently. They value his all-round abilities beyond just bowling. He scores handy 30s and 50s with the bat too.
Vijay Hazare Trophy Heroics
Shivang Kumar grabbed 10 wickets across three Vijay Hazare Trophy matches. His maiden five-wicket haul came against Karnataka in Ahmedabad. He bowled his full 10 overs taking 5 wickets brilliantly. Karnataka got restricted to 207 all out in 47.4 overs.
Five wickets came in his first 6 overs remarkably there. BCCI Domestic shared its “Fabulous Five” performance video widely. Madhya Pradesh chased 208 in just 23.2 overs winning easily. His googlies went viral after his Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy debut.
