The one player that has been the talk of the town in IPL 2026 is Sameer Rizvi. The star player has emerged as one of the biggest early stories, making an immediate impact for the Delhi Capitals with back-to-back match-winning performances.
Used as an impact substitute in the first two games by Delhi Capitals, the 22-year-old from Meerut announced himself in style.
He smashed an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls against Lucknow Super Giants and followed it up with a stunning 90 off 51 balls against the Mumbai Indians.
The rise of Sameer Rizvi is remarkable, and the journey behind it is more interesting. Just a couple of years ago, Rizvi was seen as an expensive gamble for CSK. But today, he looks like one of the smartest investments in the league for DC in IPL 2026.
"Yes, I have worked very hard on myself because since last year there have been many changes. I worked on all my weakness, and I used to have some problems against fast bowlers, so I worked a lot on that throughout the year. The hard work is paying off now, I am batting well," Rizvi said.
Sameer Rizvi's journey with CSK
Sameer Rizvi first grabbed attention during the IPL 2024 auction, where Chennai Super Kings bought him for a massive ₹8.4 crore. The franchise’s interest was driven by his explosive performances in domestic cricket, especially in the UP T20 League.
Playing for Kanpur Superstars in UP T20 2023, Rizvi scored 455 runs in just nine innings, including two centuries, at an average of 50.56 and a strike-rate of 188.80. He also registered the fastest century of the tournament in just 47 balls.
It is important to mention that CSK’s scouts were particularly impressed by his natural ability to dominate spin bowling, which made him an ideal fit for Chennai’s home conditions.
Sameer Rizvi’s Performance for CSK in 2024
However, Rizvi’s debut IPL season did not go as planned. Despite the high expectations, he struggled to make a consistent impact in a limited role.
In five innings, Rizvi managed just 51 runs at an average of 12.75 and a strike rate of 118.60. His highest score was 21 off 23 balls against the Punjab Kings. Often batting in the lower order, he had limited opportunities to settle and build innings.
Given his ₹8.4 crore price tag, the returns were underwhelming. In fact, a simple calculation showed that each run cost CSK approximately ₹16.47 lakh. Eventually, he was released ahead of the 2025 auction.
Sameer Rizvi's performance for DC in 2025
In IPL 2025, Delhi Capitals invested in Rizvi. He was bought in the IPL 2025 mega auction for ₹95 lakh. With a significantly lower price tag and less pressure, he began rebuilding his game.
In four innings during the season, Sameer showed clear improvement. He scored runs at a strike rate of 153.16 and played the role of a finisher effectively. His standout performance came in a match against the Punjab Kings, where he scored an unbeaten 58 off just 25 balls.
Overall in IPL 2025, Rizvi played in 4 innings and made 121 runs at an average of 40.33.
Though he played only a handful of matches, his impact was enough for Delhi Capitals to retain him for the 2026 season at the same price. It was evident that the franchise saw potential in him as a long-term middle-order option.
Sameer Rizvi IPL 2026 Price
It is important to note that Delhi Capitals retained the Sameer Rizvi for ₹95 lakh in IPL 2026, and the decision seems to be paying off for DC so far.
This season, Rizvi has transformed into a complete batter. Batting at No. 4, he has shown maturity, adaptability, and the ability to handle both spin and pace.
In that match against MI, he scored 90 off 51 balls, hitting seven fours and seven sixes, and stitched crucial partnerships to guide his team to victory. Earlier, he had also rescued Delhi from 26/4 with a composed 70 against LSG.
From being an expensive underperformer to becoming a match-winner, his journey has been the hot topic now.
Sameer Rizvi (Source: AFP and AP)
.jpg?type=mq "Bangladesh Pushes For New Competition")
