Delhi Capitals’ Sameer Rizvi celebrates his fifty (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

NEW DELHI: “Tayyar rahio, ek challenge aane wala hai”That was Axar Patel’s message to Sameer Rizvi ahead of IPL 2026. What Rizvi did not know then was how quickly that challenge would arrive—or how decisively he would stamp his authority on it.When it did, the 22-year-old delivered a statement.Chasing 142 against Lucknow Super Giants, Rizvi walked in at No. 4 and produced a composed, unbeaten 70 off 47 balls, guiding Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win. He walked into a ring of fire, with his UP teammate Mohsin Khan and the rest of the LSG pace battery making life difficult for the batters. But Rizvi weathered the early storm before settling into his comfort zone and accelerating with control.‘No. 4 is his favourite position’Rizvi’s comfort at the position comes as no surprise. He entered IPL 2026 on the back of consistent domestic form—491 runs in the UP T20 League, where he primarily batted at No. 4.“I am comfortable batting at No 4. I wanted to bat at the spot and the coach had told me earlier that I would come in at No 4 and that they would back me,” he said. “He asked me to play my natural game and stay positive,” Rizvi had told reporters after the game.Axar’s reminder ahead of DC’s season opener was a validation of the trust the management had placed in him.As per his uncle and formative coach, Tankeeb Akhtar, Rizvi relishes batting at No. 4, with time in the middle being key to his game.“Tujhe 4 pe batting karni hai. Tayyar rehna [You have to bat at No. 4. Be ready]. That’s what Axar Patel told him,” Akhtar tells Timesofindia.com. “He was very happy. No. 4 is his favourite batting position. When he called me, he was extremely happy and said, ‘That was amazing, mamu’]”.

Sameer Rizvi with his uncle and formative coach,Tankeeb Akhtar

“Even last year, in the final match, he played a fine knock—scoring 58 runs to help Delhi win. That’s where it all started for him. Against LSG too, he played a very good knock. The only change was that he needed time at the crease, and Axar gave him that time yesterday. Once he got time to settle on the wicket, he batted really well. He was happy,” he added.’Mamu, you’ll see – I will play well this time’Rizvi was the second-highest run-getter in the UP T20 League, averaging 61.38 and striking at 161.51. He continued his rich vein of form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 238 runs at an average of 59.50.Back home in Meerut, his preparation for IPL 2026 was intense and methodical.“When he is in Meerut, he bats for three hours on the centre wicket. Medium pacers, spinners, fast bowlers—everyone was used to prepare him for the IPL. He has worked extremely hard for this season. I am sure he will continue to play match-winning knocks this season. While leaving, he just said, ‘Mamu, you’ll see – I will play well this time’,” says Akhtar.‘8 crore ho ya 20 lakh – cricket khelna hai bass’Rizvi’s IPL journey has already seen sharp turns. Picked by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 8.40 crore in 2024, he struggled to convert his opportunities and managed just 51 runs in eight matches.He was released the following season – a move that raised eyebrows and brought with it an inevitable dip in valuation. Delhi Capitals picked him up for Rs 95 lakh. That massive drop in price could have easily unsettled the youngster, but as Akhtar says, for Rizvi, it was always about playing the game, not the price tag attached to it.“Dekhiye bura bahot lagta hai but Sameer ne kabhi dikhaya nahi wo apne shakal pe [Look, it does hurt a lot, but Sameer never showed it on his face]. Cricket comes first for him. He never talks about the price tag. He used to say whether it is Rs 8 crore or a Rs 20 lakh base price, he just wants to play cricket, no matter which IPL team it is,” says Akhtar.In 2025, after starting in the playing XI for the initial matches, Rizvi lost his place to the likes of Abhishek Porel and Ashutosh Sharma, and eventually managed just five games the whole season – scoring 121 runs at 40.33 and striking at 153.16, including a fifty in DC’s final game.Making an Impact This year, though, as an impact substitute, Rizvi has made his mark with a match-winning knock in the first game itself. He will now hope for a consistent run – something Akhtar also believes is within reach.“Mauka bahut kam mila tha usko CSK mein [He didn’t get many opportunities at CSK]. Even in the IPL now, this was only his second or third chance, and he played a very good innings,” says Akhtar, adding that the CSK stint did help Rizvi evolve as a cricketer. “He learned a lot from MS Dhoni – both his approach to the game and his thinking evolved. But when Dhoni stepped down as captain, everything changed. I had even asked him about opportunities or moving up the batting order. He said the captain is different now. He just didn’t get enough chances, that’s all,” remembers Akhtar.At DC, Rizvi seems to have found the ideal support system – a captain who trusts him and a senior pro he can lean on.“Axar has supported him a lot. He treats him like an elder brother. He also spends time with KL Rahul. He has told him one thing: ‘Be focused on your goal,’” says Akhtar about the DC setup.From a quiet heads-up before the season to taking on the challenge head-on, Rizvi has shown early signs that he could seize his moment in his third IPL year.

Lucknow Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan celebrates the wicket of Delhi Capitals’ Nitish Rana during their Indian Premier League 2026 match at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, in Lucknow on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: For Badruddin Siddiqui, Wednesday evening was special. Two of his wards, whom he has trained since their early teens, were bowling in tandem for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) against the Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.Shami struck with his first ball, removing KL Rahul. Mohsin bowled a wicket maiden, dismissing Nitish Rana, and had player of the match Sameer Rizvi, his Uttar Pradesh teammate, searching for runs. In his first three overs, Mohsin gave away six runs, and Rizvi managed only two off the ten balls he faced. Tristan Stubbs managed four runs off six balls against the left-arm quick.

Mohsin was all over Rizvi and Stubbs, but for Badruddin, it was not his bowling that impressed him the most. On the fifth ball of the 12th over, the 27-year-old made a full-stretched dive to save two runs at third man. Mohsin’s effort forced Badruddin to jump out of his couch.“Ab dar khatam ho chuka hai (He is not afraid anymore),” Badruddin tells TimesofIndia.com.“If a fast bowler whose career has been marred by injuries is diving in the field, it means just one thing. He is supremely fit,” he explains.

It is his fault. He is a gifted athlete. But nowadays youngsters have this fascination with the gym and posting videos on social media.

Badruddin Siddiqui | Coach

After bursting onto the scene in IPL 2022, where he picked up 14 wickets in 10 matches with an impressive economy rate of 5.96, he was close to an India call-up but suffered a serious shoulder injury and did not play any competitive cricket for a whole year. He was not fit for the first half of IPL 2023, but made an excellent comeback, defending 11 runs in the last over against Mumbai Indians.In the last four years, he has had a career-threatening shoulder injury, a groin injury, and the worst phase came when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee on December 31 while playing in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Lucknow Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan bowls during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 cricket match between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders, at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. (PTI Photo/Swapan Mahapatra)(

“Injuries become part and parcel of any fast bowler. But Mohsin has been a bit unfortunate,” says Badruddin.Luckily, in all these frustrating years, he has had Mohammad Shami on his side. Mohsin stays at Shami’s farmhouse in Alinagar.“Shami has helped him a lot, right from the start. It was during the lockdown that he started living and training with Shami at his farmhouse. The results were there for everyone to see in IPL 2022,” says Badruddin.

A fast bowler should train on the ground. If you want to bowl at 140 kph, you have to grind on the field. Gym se bowling improve nahi hoti (Your bowling will not improve in the gym)

Badruddin Siddiqui | Coach

Badruddin blames Mohsin’s lifestyle for his downfall and his injuries.“It is his fault. He is a gifted athlete. But nowadays youngsters have this fascination with the gym and posting videos on social media,” he says.Badruddin shares a conversation that took place after the IPL last year between Shami and Mohsin.

Lucknow: Lucknow Super Giants player Mohsin Khan injured during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match between Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders, at Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, in Lucknow. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan)(

“We were having tea at Shami’s farmhouse, and Mohsin was just coming out of the gym. I remember Shami’s words, ‘Mohsin miyaan, gym se body ban jayegi, bowling nahi‘ (Gym can shape your body, not your bowling),” laughs Badruddin.The stern remark from Shami left Mohsin shocked. “His jaw dropped,” recollects Badruddin.“A fast bowler should train on the ground. If you want to bowl at 140 kph, you have to grind on the field. Gym se bowling improve nahi hoti (Your bowling will not improve in the gym),” he says.Mohsin stands six feet three inches tall, and Badruddin feels his hard lengths hurry batters more than Shami.

Mohsin miyaan, gym se body ban jayegi, bowling nahi (Gym can shape your body, not your bowling).

Mohammd Shami to Mohsin Khan

“Mohsin is tall and his ball climbs onto a batter quicker than Shami. You tell me how many left-arm quicks can swing the ball both ways at 140 kmph and generate such a steep bounce. No one in India at present,” he praises his ward.What Mohsin has done in the past twelve months is go back to the basics. He runs, he bowls, and trains tirelessly, with Shami shouting from behind, “India khelna hai ya nahi (Do you want to play for India or not).”“In these months, he has also realised the importance of fitness. He is 27 and at best he can play five to six more years, but if he improves his fitness, he can extend that by two more years,” he says.

Chennai: Lucknow Super Giants’ Mohsin Khan during a practice session ahead of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 T20 cricket match against Chennai Super Kings’, at MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. (PTI Photo/R Senthilkumar)(

Mohsin has not only changed his lifestyle under Shami in these months, but he has also worked on his bowling.“He has worked on his wrist position. He has added a few more steps to his run-up. It has helped him gain more rhythm,” he says.

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But for Badruddin, in Mohsin’s return to competitive cricket in almost two years, the most satisfying part remained his fielding.“Aaj tak usne dive nahi maari life mein (He had never dived in his life). The good thing is he is not afraid anymore,” he says.