Krish Bhagat - (ScreenGrab/Hotstar)
On April 20, Krish Bhagat, a 21-year-old Punjab cricketer, received his debut cap from Hardik Pandya to play for Mumbai Indians in the Gujarat Titans clash at Ahmedabad. The all-rounder was a replacement for Atharva Ankolekar in the Mumbai Indians camp, who was ruled out due to an unspecified injury.
Roped in for a base price of INR 30 lakh, Bhagat's inclusion calls for a dream debut in the IPL, where the young prospect is set to make a mark for himself on the grand stage of the Indian Premier League. And it also might be a chance for young Krish to shine for a side which is currently struggling at the bottom of the table.
The Punjab-Born Promise Who Chose A Different Path From His Family
Krish Bhagat is a Jalandhar-boy born on November 6, 2004. Coming from a family that deals in business and public service, Bhagat's arrival in cricket was not an orthodox choice for his parents.
Although he started playing cricket at a very young age, encouraged by his mother, he is the first in his household to choose a career in professional cricket. However, Krish's career hasn't been smooth as well.
Earlier, Krish suffered a life-altering spinal cord injury that almost threatened his future in the sport. He was also a solid Under-19 World Cup prospect but missed the tournament due to an injury.
Also Read- Dasun Shanka Banned By Mohsin Naqvi For IPL Over PSL, Player Issues Official Statement
Krish Bhagat's Notable Achievements In Cricket
The pacer was first noticed after he stamped his authority in the CK Nayudu Trophy while taking 30 wickets in six matches and averaging 17.
Speaking of the all-rounder's contribution to his domestic team, his last match was for Punjab, where he managed 90 runs from five innings while taking four wickets in the Ranji Elite 2025–26 tournament.
In the Vijay Hazare Trophy, he took 9 wickets from 8 matches while having an economy rate of 6.11. Though not super efficient with the bat, he has some striking abilities and can come in handy in the lower order if given the proper chance.
Bhagat Served RCB Earlier!
For the unaware, Krish Bhagat was a net bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru and also served in the nets of Mumbai Indians for two seasons.
Mumbai Indians have a knack for backing raw talent, and seeing Krish Bhagat at their camp for two years, it seems like he might be Mumbai Indians' secret weapon after the first leg of IPL 2026.
In the nets, Bhagat was seen constantly hitting hard lengths and bamboozling batters. While he was signed for Mumbai, the team also shared an official statement regarding his work ethic and his constant improvement in the camp, which further suits his eligibility as a team player for Mumbai Indians in this crunch situation.
“Krish has consistently impressed the coaching staff with his dedication, work ethic, and the quality he brings to every session and practice games that he played for Mumbai Indians,” said Mumbai Indians in a statement as quoted by Sportstar.
Bhagat's Chance To Shine For MI
Talents always emerge from the very ground of dirt, especially in the IPL, where talents like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sameer Rizvi, and Ashutosh Sharma have emerged and proved their might.
This determination of Krish might have led the Mumbai Indians camp to think of giving him a chance in the playing XI in a crucial match like Gujarat Titans, where Mumbai Indians are on the cusp of a do-or-die situation to make it to the playoffs.
Also Read- GT Vs MI Toss Update: Rohit Sharma Ruled Out, Two Debutants For Mumbai As Gill Elects To Bowl
With his injury-marred ventures, Krish never got a chance to shine except for the MI vs GT IPL 2026 clash where he is set to make his debut.
Follow GT vs MI Live Updates For Each And Every Detail Of The High-Octane IPL 2026 Clash
