IPL 2023 auction: Jammu and Kashmir's Vivrant Sharma makes it big, sold for Rs 2.6 crore to SunRisers
Dec 23, 2022
After the likes of Sam Curran, Cameron Green and Ben Stokes rewrote the record books with big paydays at the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 auction in Kochi on December 23, it was the time for uncapped players to become crorepatis as all 10 teams were frenetically looking for their missing pieces.
A few of the young Indian uncapped players became crorepatis as they triggered bidding wars in Kochi.
While Shivam Mavi, who has been part of the IPL since 2018, went for Rs 6 crore to Gujarat Titans, 29-year-old India A pacer Mukesh Kumar was sold for Rs 5.5 crore to Delhi Capitals.
However, a less familiar name in Vivrant Sharma triggered a bidding war between SunRisers Hyderabad and Kolkata Knight Riders. He came in with a base price of Rs 20 lakh and was eventually sold for Rs 2.6 crore to SRH, who were among the biggest spends in the auction after having bought England's Harry Brook for Rs 13.25 crore and senior India batter Mayank Agarwal for Rs 8.25 crore.
Vivrant Shamra is a 23-year-old from Jammu and Kashmir who bats left-handed and bowls left-arm spin. The young all-rounder has played 2 first-class matches, 14 List A matches and 9 T20s for Jammu and Kashmir so far.
Vivrant started playing cricket after watching his elder brother Vikrant play club cricket in Jammu, according to The Indian Express. The 23-year-old initially batted right-handed but became a southpaw after seeing his brother.
The left-hander will join his Jammu and Kashmir teammates Umran Malik and Abdul Samad at SunRisers Hyderabad and will have the opportunity to work under legendary Brian Lara, who was named their head coach.
Vivrant came up with a perfect audition for the IPL auction as he hit 154 not out from just 124 balls in November, hitting 6 sixes and 18 boundaries for Jammu and Kashmir in their Vijay Hazare Trophy 2022 campaign. Vivrant's big hundred helped the J&K reach the quarter-final of the domestic 50-over competition for the first time.
Vivrant was in fine form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 395 runs in 8 matches, including the hundred and 2 fifties.
Vivrant made his domestic debut only in February 2021 after coming up through the ranks from age-group cricket.
Vivrant has scored 519 runs in 14 List A matches, which includes a hundred and 3 fifties. He has scored 190 runs in 9 T20is, striking at close to 130. He has hit two fifties in T20 cricket so far.
Vivrant has taken 8 wickets in List A and 6 wickets in T20s.
