New Delhi, Dec 18 : Manifestation met reality for Madhya Pradeshâ??s left-arm wrist-spin all-rounder Shivang Kumar when Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) picked him in the IPL 2026 auction at his base price of Rs 30 lakh.

The move to rope him in by SRH reunites Shivang, who bats right-handed and is capable of producing big hits, with best friend and Madhya Pradesh teammate Aniket Verma, who was one of the finds for the franchise in a disappointing 2025 season.

"First of all, I am very excited to play for SRH. Itâ??s a team of my teammate and best friend Aniket Verma. With me now going to his team, there is also this excitement feeling because I told him last year that if you get selected, then I will also get selected in it.

â??So, a lot of things have been manifested. At that time (when the auction was on), I was in the room. My friend came and told me that 'bhai, you have been selected'. So, I felt very good," said Shivang in an exclusive conversation with IANS.

Shivang, 23, had trials with multiple franchises before the auction and that was enough to tell him that he will be a part of the IPL for the first time. "Before the auction, I went to trials of Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals. So, I got a good response from them.

â??SRH also called me twice, but unfortunately, I could not go as at that time, I was in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. The other time, it got cancelled for some reason. But the trials were quite good and there was a good response everywhere. SRH showed their trust in me and I am feeling good."

Shivang views playing in IPL 2026 as his gateway to fulfilling his ultimate goal: playing for India. "IPL is a launching pad for an uncapped player to the Indian team. So, as per my skills, I think SRH will like me a lot.

â??I do both batting and bowling, so I can be very useful for the team. I have heard a lot about Murali sir (Muttiah Muralitharan). He talks a lot about cricket. So, it will be good to talk to him as well because I also talk mainly about cricket," he added.

It also helps that Shivang sees Aniket as a huge source of motivation and belief to leave his mark in the IPL, after SRH scouts noticed his rare bowling skillset and penchant for hitting big shots. "Because of Aniket, we felt that we can also do well at this level. Aniket's season was very good and he played very well in SRH for 2-3 innings. So, we also believe that we can also do well at the top.

â??I told Aniket that you have done well there, then I will also do well. So, there was a lot of support from the Madhya Pradesh Premier League because under the lights, we actually play less matches on an international ground."

"So, the player gets a lot of experience and exposure there on how he will play internationally. The world also watches him - whatever he does, good or bad. So, it is also a benefit that we learn how to deal with it."

Growing up in Rewa, a place that has produced notable pacers Kuldeep Sen and Ishwar Pandey, Shivang was first taught about cricket by his father Praveen Kumar, a Chief Ticket Inspector (CTI) in the Railways currently posted in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Praveen himself played cricket in Bengal, including the Ranji Trophy, and who harbored dreams of playing for India himself.

â??We used to practice cricket in our MPCA camps in Indore. When I was 22, I went to Rewa. Before that, I used to play in the Gwalior division. Rewa supported me a lot and it was an opportunity for me.

"Actually, my father put me into playing cricket. He also had a dream that my child should play for India. He also had a dream that he should play. But this dream has been passed on to me. Hopefully, I will be able to fulfill his dream.

Seeing him being picked by SRH for IPL left Praveen jubilant. â??My father is a very positive person. So, he was like, 'Okay, beta, you have been selected. So, learn and go upwards from here. Your ultimate goal is to play for India'. He was also very happy that I was selected for SRH, which is known for a lot of power hitters and are known for their fearless approach and excellent batting."

It was Praveen, Shivangâ??s first coach, who transformed him from a right-handed bowler into a left-arm spinner. "He taught me batting and actually, I bowled right handed. But he made me a lefty bowler. I do everything from the right hand, but just do bowling from the left hand. So, you can call it his masterpiece, as he made me like this. After I started my cricket under him, I found my way through MP and MPCA supported me a lot."

Shivangâ??s journey in the cricketing world wouldnâ??t have happened if the MS Dhoni biopic movie hadnâ??t reignited his passion for the game. " When I didn't get selected for the U-14 team, I decided to leave cricket. I didn't play for 5 months. Luckily, I got a chance to watch the movie on MS Dhoni.

â??I had heard a few things about it â?? like when people saw it, they said I gave up on cricket too soon. When my brother told me to watch the movie, saying that it is a very well made film and has an inspiring story, I went to watch it and took a lot of inspiration from Dhoni sir.

â??It made me realise that his life had a lot of struggles and I gave up too fast. I re-started playing cricket and scored 98 in the first match. That made me realise that cricket is in my blood, and that I don't know if I will play at the higher level or not, but cricket cannot leave me," he recalled.

Meeting his idol Dhoni sits at the top of Shivangâ??s bucket list. "It is every youngster's dream to meet Dhoni sir, especially when there is a match in Chepauk, the atmosphere is different. When he enters, I want to experience that what it is like to be out there. I have heard about it from the rest, but I will definitely want to experience it."

The superlative performance in Madhya Pradeshâ??s T20 league propelled Shivang to make his Syed Mushtaq Alit Trophy debut against Hyderabad, where he showed promise with the bat through a crucial knock of 45.

"But I didn't get a wicket in that game. When I went wicketless against Hyderabad, I spoke to Venkatesh Iyer. He told me not to worry and that I would get a wicket next time. He motivated me a lot. Next up, I got three wickets against Bihar and it felt good," said Shivang.

Apart from Iyer, Shivang draws huge inspiration from RCB skipper and India batter Rajat Patidar. "Rajat bhaiya is especially an inspiration. His batting is world famous. He is the most stylish batsman. Venky bhaiya has a positive attitude towards youngsters.

â??He comes and makes the environment casual, and that helps in gelling up well with him. He doesn't look like a star and that gives us a feel that he is like our friend. Venky bhaiya gives a lot of support, and inspires me a lot in me wanting to play for India."

With the IPL still a few months away, Shivang is eager to test himself against international stars and who knows he might shine in IPL 2026, which in turn put him on the radar of higher honours, including playing for India.

"These are big matches and international players are present. I have never played against or with foreigners. How to bowl to them, as well as to big domestic hitters and veterans, it is a different game. So I want to experience it."

/IANS