Who is Brijesh Sharma? The son of a labourer who made his IPL debut for Rajasthan Royals

A new player made his debut in the Indian Premier League on Monday. Jammu and Kashmir pacer Brijesh Sharma earned his first IPL appearance after being included in Rajasthan Royals’ playing XI for their clash against Chennai Super Kings.

Rajasthan Royals had secured the young fast bowler at his base price of Rs 30 lakh during the IPL 2026 auction. At the time, Sharma had yet to feature in senior-level cricket, but his standout performances in the 2025 Bengal Pro T20 League had already caught the attention of scouts and franchises.

A right-arm medium pacer, Sharma delivered an impressive campaign in the Bengal league, finishing joint-fifth among the top wicket-takers. Representing Smashers Malda, he claimed 11 wickets in just seven matches, showcasing his ability to strike both with the new ball and in the death overs.


Humble beginnings and steady rise
Sharma hails from the Dandial region, where he grew up in a modest household. His father works as a labourer and as expected faced huge financial constraints during his early career. He initially represented Jammu and Kashmir at the Under-19 and Under-25 levels before making a crucial decision to shift to Delhi in search of better training opportunities. There, he honed his skills under coach Deepak Punia at the Unique Sports Club, a move that significantly improved his consistency and control.

His breakthrough came in the 2025 Bengal Pro T20 League, where he impressed on the big stage at Eden Gardens. His ability to deliver in pressure situations, particularly during the Powerplay and at the death, played a key role in elevating his profile.

That performance paved the way for his IPL call-up with Rajasthan Royals. Beyond numbers, Sharma’s rise has added to the growing list of cricketers emerging from Jammu and Kashmir, following names like Umran Malik and Auqib Nabi, and offering inspiration to aspiring players from the region.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals won the toss and chose to bowl against Chennai Super Kings on Monday. The Royals have enjoyed recent success against CSK, winning four of their last five encounters, although both teams endured disappointing campaigns in 2025.

Chennai Super Kings are without their experienced leader MS Dhoni, who has been ruled out for at least two weeks due to a calf injury.

Playing XIs

Chennai Super Kings: Ruturaj Gaikwad (captain), Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ayush Mhatre, Matt Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed.

Rajasthan Royals: Riyan Parag (captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wicketkeeper), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma.