Sameer Rizvi shows his transformed batting: more confidence, more strokes

It is still early days in the 19th IPL, and it seems that the fortunes of batting sensation Sameer Rizvi and his franchise, the Delhi Capitals, are moving in tandem. The handsome right-hander from Meerut was adjudged Man of the Match in his team’s first two games for his batting performances, winning them for Delhi Capitals. Rizvi flopped in the next two matches, and the Delhi Capitals lost both.

That, however, could be just a coincidence. Rizvi’s two match-winning knocks showed that he is at home with the franchise that retained him last December for a second season. The Uttar Pradesh batsman has been allotted his favourite batting position of No. 4. Additionally, he has been given the licence to play his own game. And Rizvi couldn’t be happier.

“The coach [Hemang Badani] had told me earlier that I would bat at number four and that they would back me. He asked me to play my natural game and stay positive,” Rizvi said after smashing an unbeaten 70 off just 47 balls (5x4s, 4x6s) against Lucknow Super Giants in Delhi Capitals’ first match of the IPL season.

In his team’s next encounter, Rizvi played another match-winning knock. He hammered 90 off 51 balls (7x4s, 7x6s) against the Mumbai Indians in Delhi. For his knock, he won his third successive Man of the Match award, including the one he clinched in the last match of the Delhi Capitals last season, against Punjab Kings in Jaipur. He had scored 58 not out off 25 balls as Delhi Capitals trounced their rivals by 206 runs.

Soaring since 2023

Rizvi’s graph has been rising particularly since 2023, with the launch of the UPT20 League. As a 20-year-old, he was picked by Kanpur Superstars, and he didn’t disappoint them, piling up 455 runs in nine innings — the third-highest tally in the tournament — including two centuries and a fifty.

This performance made the IPL franchises sit up and take notice of the cricketer with Bollywood looks. Following his exploits in the UPT20 League, all 10 franchises had invited him for trials, Rizvi had said in December 2023. He, however, could make it to only Punjab Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Rajasthan Royals, as he was busy representing the Uttar Pradesh under-23 team.

Unsurprisingly, Rizvi was in great demand at the December 2023 IPL auction. He entered the auction with a base price of Rs 20 lakh, but inside the hall, he sparked a bidding war among franchises. Chennai Super Kings eventually signed him for Rs 8.40 crore. However, Rizvi couldn’t live up to the expectations and managed just 51 runs in five innings. He was released by the franchise at the end of the 2004 season. Delhi Capitals then bought him for Rs 95 lakh at the next auction in November 2024 and retained him before the IPL 2026 season.

Coaches applaud

Coaches who have worked with Rizvi or have watched him from close quarters have nothing but appreciation for him.

Former India ODI player Gyanendra Pandey, who coached Kanpur Superstars in the first edition of the UPT20 League in 2023, swears by his potential. “He is surely one of the most talented young cricketers of Uttar Pradesh. I am no longer a national selector, so I can’t say this with all the confidence, but I am sure that he is one of the most talented in the country as well,” Pandey, a former junior national selector, told Patriot.

“He is a good timer of the ball, and he doesn’t give the impression of making an extra effort to hit the ball, but his strokes carry considerable force. Another fine aspect of his batting is that he can play shots all around the wicket. He is a good listener as well; whatever you tell him, he pays attention to it,” said the 53-year-old, who was part of the 2006 Ranji Trophy-winning Uttar Pradesh team.

Pandey emphasised how Rizvi took Kanpur Superstars to victories from precarious positions. “He won us matches when the team had lost quick wickets. He would go there and take the team ashore. He must have played about 10-12 such innings for Kanpur Superstars. He once scored 98 while playing for Uttar Pradesh under-23 in the national tournament and won us that match,” he pointed out.

Opponents’ appreciation

Ubaid Kamal, a former Uttar Pradesh and Punjab fast bowler, watched Rizvi closely as head coach of the Uttar Pradesh under-23 team of which he was a part and as the bowling coach of the UPT20 League side Kashi Rudras.

“He has a creative mind. He has been a ‘king’ against spinners for his ability to dominate them. However, more recently, he has worked hard to face pace bowlers successfully. You can see the result in the way he bats in the IPL; he often takes up positions to play shots even before the speedsters have delivered the ball. His ball sense was always good, and he had all the shots in his arsenal. Now, he takes a few microseconds more to play his shots. And he is a brilliant fielder; a match-winner who finishes matches now,” Kamal, also a former Uttar Pradesh junior and senior selector, told Patriot.

Kamal has been watching Rizvi’s progress since he played under-23 cricket for Uttar Pradesh.

“When he was representing Uttar Pradesh in the under-23 category, he was a bit of a carefree cricketer. He has matured. His mindset has toughened, and his body language has improved,” he said.

Kamal, who has also served as chairman of the Uttarakhand senior selection committee, has observed a few more aspects in Rizvi’s game. “He is more patient now, more self-confident. He is a self-motivator. More importantly, he has in recent times learnt to face all types of challenges in life. He is taking more responsibility for the team he represents,” he said.

Higher goals

Rizvi’s personal coach, Tankeeb Akhtar, who is also his maternal uncle, wants his ward to continue in the same vein in the upcoming IPL matches so that he can attain bigger goals.

“He has gained confidence from the first two matches of this IPL. Now, he should continue his form in the matches coming up so that he comes into contention for an India berth,” Tankeeb told Patriot.

Delhi Capitals’ next fixture is an away match against defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 18. Rizvi would be keen to show that the scores in the last two matches were temporary setbacks rather than a trend.