Who Is Shivang Kumar? SRH Left-Arm Wrist Spinner Dismisses Dewald Brevis For Duck In IPL 2026 Southern Derby

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Shivang Kumar, Sunrisers Hyderabad 's (SRH) promising young left-arm wrist spinner, produced a game-changing moment in the IPL 2026 Southern Derby against Chennai Super Kings (CSK ). Bowling a well-disguised googly, he dismissed the dangerous Dewald Brevis for duck at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, helping SRH seize control during the chase.

The decisive moment against Dewald Brevis

In today's Southern Derby, CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad won the toss and chose to field first. SRH posted a competitive 194/9, powered by explosive knocks from Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, and Heinrich Klaasen. Shivang contributed a quick 12 off 8 balls, including a six, in the lower order.

During the CSK chase, Kumar was introduced in the middle overs. On the fourth ball of his over at the 11.4 mark, he tossed up a delivery on off stump. Brevis's eyes lit up as he stepped forward to loft it over the boundary. However, he failed to get the timing right. The ball came off the bottom of the bat, slicing across with lots of height but no real distance. It was a googly, and Liam Livingstone completed an easy catch at long-off. Brevis departed for 0 off 4 balls with CSK at 113/5.

Kumar's over was tight, conceding just three runs while breaking a promising partnership. This breakthrough shifted the momentum firmly in SRH's favour in the intense clash.

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Shivang Kumar, a 23-year-old right-handed batter and left-arm wrist spinner, hails from Harthala Railway Colony in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Born on May 26, 2002, he represents Madhya Pradesh in domestic cricket and brings all-round value with his clever variations and handy lower-order batting.

His father, Praveen Kumar, a Chief Ticket Inspector (TTE) with Indian Railways and a former Bengal Ranji player, played a pivotal role in shaping his career. Praveen made a bold decision to convert Shivang from right-arm bowling to left-arm wrist spin. Shivang later described this move as his father's“masterpiece.”

As a youngster, Shivang spent hours imitating spinners like Piyush Chawla and Kuldeep Yadav. His journey faced a major setback when he failed to make the Under-14 team and quit cricket for five months. The turning point came when his brother convinced him to watch the movie *MS Dhoni: The Untold Story*. Inspired by Dhoni's struggles and success, Shivang returned to the game with renewed passion and determination.

He trained rigorously under his father's guidance, even in Rewa, a region known more for fast bowlers. Before the 2026 mini-auction, Shivang attended trials with several franchises, including Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals. SRH had shown early interest but faced scheduling hurdles. Finally, Sunrisers Hyderabad signed the uncapped talent for his base price of ₹30 lakh.

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Despite limited senior cricket, only four T20 matches and three List A games, Shivang has impressed selectors. In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he picked up 10 wickets in three matches at an impressive economy of 5.16. His highlight was a brilliant 5/45 against Karnataka in Ahmedabad. He also scored a composed 67 off 69 balls against Jharkhand.

In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he claimed a best of 3/25 against Bihar. Shivang made his IPL debut for SRH against the Kolkata Knight Riders on April 2 at Eden Gardens.

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