New Delhi: Shivang Kumar’s IPL journey is not your ordinary story of a smooth promotion. The 23-year-old spinner from Moradabad made his debut for Sunrisers Hyderabad earlier this season, but it’s the bold decisions, setbacks and surprising sources of inspiration that make his story stand out, MS Dhoni: The Untold Story.Shivang’s breakthrough didn’t come overnight when he was picked for Rs 30 lakh in a mini-auction in 2026.
It all started at the Railway Colony in Hasala, where his father, chief wicketkeeper and former Bengal Ranji cricketer Praveen Kumar, was in charge of his training. One unconventional move changed everything: Siwan became a left-arm wrist spinner despite being right-handed. He later described this bold transformation as his father’s “masterpiece.”
Difficult pauses and turning points
Like many young cricketers, Sivan’s path was not without doubt. After failing to make the U-14 side, he took a five-month break from cricket, convinced that his journey had reached a dead end. This hiatus may end his career before it really begins.But a movie changed his mind. Watch MS Dhoni: The untold story prompted him to reconsider quitting smoking. Dhoni’s story of struggle and rise struck a chord and helped Siwan return to the game with renewed determination.Interestingly, his story is similar to that of Pakistan spinners Usman Tariqhe also found inspiration in the same film. Tariq said: “I came back to cricket after watching the ‘MS Dhoni’ film. After watching that film, I felt our stories were similar… I came back to cricket only because of MS Dhoni.”
A show that opens the door
Upon his return, Shivang let his performance speak for itself. He has impressed in domestic cricket, including a stellar performance in the Vijay Hazare Trophy campaign where he picked up 10 wickets in just three games. That five-wicket haul against Karnataka proved to be a defining moment that firmly put him on the radar of IPL scouts.In T20 cricket, he also showed potential with best figures of 3/25 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Those performances eventually led to an IPL opportunity, albeit not without setbacks. He had trials with several teams and even missed out on a few opportunities with Sunrisers Hyderabad due to scheduling issues.However, SRH has not forgotten him. They returned to the auction house and bought him at the bottom price, finally giving him the chance he had been waiting for.
