Mayank Rawat makes IPL debut for MI (Source: mayankrawat03/Instagram & mipaltan/X)
The five-time IPL winners, Mumbai Indians, are locking horns with the high-flying Punjab Kings in a high-octane match at the iconic Wankhede Stadium. Winning the toss, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer invited Hardik Pandya & co. to bat first.
Unfortunately, MI has entered the field without the services of their star batter Rohit Sharma, who has been ruled out for two games after sustaining a hamstring injury. Amid Sharma’s absence, Mayank Rawat, a dependable all-rounder from Delhi, is all set to play his maiden game in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
As Mayank Rawat makes his IPL debut for the formidable Mumbai Indians, let’s take a detailed look at who this young player is.
Mayank Rawat Makes IPL Debut vs Punjab Kings
Some IPL stories are loud, but are calm, slow, and honest. So is this Delhi all-rounder’s journey to the big stage.
Mumbai Indians acquired Mayank Rawat for a base price of ₹30 lakh in the IPL 2026 auction held in December 2025. Notably, his signing didn’t make as much noise as others.
Despite the lack of hype, Mayank’s IPL debut marks something deeper, a proof that domestic cricket still rewards those who stay dedicated.
Also read: Why Rohit Sharma Is Not Playing Today In MI Vs Punjab Kings IPL 2026 Match
Born on December 4, 1999, Rawat began his cricketing journey in 2011, as his childhood coach Rajesh Nagar mentioned. As a prodigious talent, Mayank always received the much-needed support from his family and coaches, who never forced him to focus on studies.
However, his rise in the domestic circuit was never smooth, as despite the big scores, the chances stayed undesirably limited. In the under-14 level for Delhi, Mayank scored 220 and 244 runs in two consecutive games. Despite that, he did not make the team the following year.
In 2022, Rawat made headlines with a blistering 408 not out just off 139 balls in a 40-over match in Delhi. At 22, Mayank muscled the humongous score with a whopping sum of 32 boundaries and 38 sixes, boasting a strike rate of 293.53.
In a pool of talented batters, doors to the Delhi state team remained shut for Mayank for years. Motivation dropped, performances dipped, and the wait became unbearable.
Mayank's rise in DPL
Then came the Delhi Premier League (DPL) in 2024. Rawat took no time to announce his presence and forced the selectors’ attention upon himself.
In the DPL 2024 final match played between East Delhi Riders and South Delhi Superstarz, Mayank Rawat hit five sixes in the last over against Ayush Badoni and helped its teams score from 153-5 to 183-5.
He played an innings of 78 not out from 39 balls, hitting a flurry of massive sixes. Rawat also earned the Man of the Match title for his match-winning performance.
Mayank Rawat Stats
| Statistic | T20s |
| Matches (Mat) | 11 |
| Runs | 114 |
| Highest Score (HS) | 29* |
| Batting Average | 28.5 |
| Batting Strike Rate | 122.58 |
| Wickets | 5 |
| Best Bowling (BBI) | 3/5 |
| Economy Rate | 7.59 |
Anuj Rawat’s connection with Mayank Rawat
It is worth noting that Mayank Rawat is the brother of the former RCB player Anuj Rawat. An established player in the IPL, Anuj plays for Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 and is known for his wicketkeeping and batting.
Indeed, sharing a dressing room with players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah is equivalent to attending the biggest learning lesson for any cricketer. Now, it will be interesting to see whether Mayank Rawat can make the most of the opportunity.
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