Akshat Raghuwanshi for LSG - (Source: Instagram/raghuwanshiakshat45)
On Monday, May 4, Lucknow Super Giants travelled to the Wankhede Stadium to lock horns against the Mumbai Indians. The two teams are placed 9th and 10th on the list, and a defeat would end their dreams of reaching the top-four in IPL 2026.
For the crucial IPL game, the Rishabh Pant-led side made three changes to the playing XI. Josh Inglis returned, while 22-year-old Akshat Raghuwanshi is making his IPL debut with Lucknow Super Giants.
There is a sudden curiosity on social media about the youngster. Therefore, this article will shed light on the journey of Akshat Raghuwanshi, who is making his IPL debut.
Who Is Akshat Raghuwanshi, 2.20 crore buy for LSG making his IPL debut?
The 22-year-old batter hails from Madhya Pradesh. The youngster took the domestic circuit by storm in 2022 and has been a topic of discussion since then. Further, Akshat caught LSG’s attention before IPL 2026 mini-auction and was roped in by the franchise for a whopping 2.20 crore.
Notably, Sunrisers Hyderabad were also interested in Akshat Raghuwanshi and got into an intense bidding war with Lucknow Super Giants before bowing out at 2.20 crore.
Impressive Domestic Season With Madhya Pradesh
Akshat Raghuwanshi rose to fame with the Ranji Trophy 2021-2022, where he slammed 295 runs in 6 innings. He scored a century on his debut, followed by a fifty. Akshat had a rough patch for about a year, but bounced back in 2025 with the MP T20 league.
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Notably, the youngster slammed 239 runs in four innings, averaging 59.75. It caught everyone’s attention, and there were murmurs that an IPL contract is not far away.
MP Teammate Rates Akshat Raghuwanshi As Best Young Talent
Notably, Raghuwanshi’s talent impressed his Madhya Pradesh teammates. For the unversed, Venkatesh Iyer, who is currently playing for RCB, was heavily impressed by the youngster and labelled the 22-year-old as the best young talent he has seen in his life.
“At 21, I haven’t seen a more talented player. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Big things are waiting for him in the future," Venkatesh Iyer said of him, as quoted by ESPN.
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Akshat Raghuwanshi Touted To Be The Next Big Thing For Lucknow Super Giants
Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo, Akshat Raghuwanshi's former coaches revealed that Akshat Raghuwanshi is expected to follow a Priyansh Arya-like route. He is also touted to be the next big thing for Lucknow Super Giants.
Talking about the ongoing match against Mumbai Indians, LSG are 82/1 after 5.3 overs. However, Akshat has been placed in the middle-order and is unlikely to get to bat today.
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