Chennai Super Kings (CSK) secured a potential superstar in Sameer Rizvi at the IPL 2024 auction, acquiring him for a notable sum of Rs 8.4 crore, way exceeding his base price of Rs 20 lakh.
The auction witnessed an intense bidding battle primarily between CSK and Gujarat Titans, with Delhi Capitals briefly entering the fray.
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The bidding war concluded when Gujarat Titans withdrew at Rs 7.6 crore, and CSK emerged victorious, bagging the talented Uttar Pradesh batter.
How did Sameer Rizvi take to cricket?
The story of Sameer Rizvi's ascent to becoming the highest-earning uncapped player at the IPL 2024 auction is not just about cricket but also about overcoming family challenges and realizing dreams against the odds. Sameer tries to follow the style of India skipper Rohit Sharma as he wants to emulate his big-hitting capabilities.
His uncle, Tankeeb Akhtar, a former cricketer, was banned from entering Sameer's house by Sameer's father, Haseen Rizvi. The reason behind the ban was Tankeeb's relentless pursuit of Sameer's cricketing potential and his desire for Sameer to play for India.
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“Mamu was always there with me. If I think maybe there would be barely 14 days in the past 14 years when he wasn’t with me at the ground,” Sameer told The Indian Express.
“He had more belief in me than I ever had. He forced me to sit and watch the auction. I never wanted to watch it, but he made me watch it and I am glad that he did."
With the significant price tag, Tankeeb acknowledged the added responsibility to guide Sameer more carefully and emphasized the need to keep the batsman grounded despite the newfound financial success.
“Itna paisa is umar mein, thoda dar lag raha hai mujhe (So much money at such an age, I am a bit scared). As a coach my role is over. Now he will get more qualified coaches at Uttar Pradesh, National Cricket Academy and Chennai Super Kings. My job is now to keep his feet on the ground. It is going to be a tough task,” laughed Tankeeb.
Sameer's talent came to the forefront in the 2019-20 season when he made his first-class debut at the age of 16, under the guidance of former India left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi.
“The talent was always there. When he made his Ranji Trophy debut, people said that he was young but believe me, he was ready. Since then, he has not only improved his game but has taken it to the next level. The rise has been staggering but I am not surprised,” said Joshi.
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Sameer Rizvi's domestic career in numbers
The 20-year-old cricketer, has exhibited outstanding performances in various T20 tournaments, which prompted CSK to break the bank.
In the 2024 Col CK Nayudu Trophy, India's premier U23 first-class tournament, Rizvi walked in to bat at 184/3 for Uttar Pradesh in the quarter-final against Saurashtra. He smashed an incredible triple hundred, scoring 312 off just 266 balls to depart with the score at 679/6.
Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy:
- Among the top 10 six-hitters with 18 maximums.
- Impressive strike rate of 139.89.
- Averaged hitting a six every 11 balls.
UP T20 League:
- Recorded the highest individual score of 122.
- Achieved the fastest century in 47 balls.
- Best strike rate in the tournament at 188.80 among batsmen with at least 100 runs.
- Leading six-hitter overall with 35 sixes.
- Scored a total of 455 runs.
Men’s U-23 State A Trophy:
- Scored 454 runs.
- Hit 37 sixes, the highest in the tournament.
- Led his team to the title.
These remarkable achievements reflect Sameer Rizvi's explosive batting skills and his ability to make a significant impact in the shortest format of the game.
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