Shivang Kumar: How father Praveen transformed the swashbuckling opener into a chinaman in a year!
Shivang Kumar made his name in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League as an opener. His exploits with the bat helped him become a marquee player for Bundelkhand Bulls, who picked him for Rs 13 lakh for the 2026 season. But within a year, he learnt the art of wrist-spin from his father, a former Bengal U-19 cricketer, and made instant impact.
The IPL franchises noticed and multiple trials later, he was roped in by the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
NEW DELHI: "Mujhe Shramjeevi Express ko le kar Patna jana hai, meri train ek ghante mein Platform 8 se niklegi, main aapko 10 minute de sakta hun (I have to take the Shramjeevi Express to Patna. The train will depart in one hour from Platform 8. I can give you 10 minutes)," says Praveen Kumar, who is working as Chief Inspector of Ticket (CIT) in the Indian Railways.
Praveen, a former Bengal U-19 cricketer, has worked with the Indian Railways for the last 34 years and has played a pivotal role in shaping his son Shivang Kumar's cricketing career. Shivang is currently wearing Sunrisers Hyderabad's jersey in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He's picked six wickets from eight matches with best figures of 3/33 against the Punjab Kings on April 11.
"When he was around eight, a saint in Vrindavan predicted that he would fulfil my unfulfilled dreams. He would become a top cricketer. I thought the man wanted money.
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