Three seasons can reshape an IPL journey in a hurry, and Sameer Rizvi’s path has been a vivid example. Bought by Chennai with a reported price tag of Rs 8.4 crore, he later slipped to a valuation below Rs 1 crore as expectations cooled. Yet the 22-year-old from Meerut has kept his focus on scoring, and this IPL season he has become a standout for Delhi with a calm, fearless style that feels impossible to ignore. On Saturday, Mumbai’s bowling group—featuring Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Mitchell Santner—had a front-row view of how Rizvi can take an attack apart.
Key takeaways
- Sameer Rizvi’s IPL momentum is building after a steep drop from a reported Rs 8.4 crore Chennai buy to a value below Rs 1 crore.
- He backed up his form with an unbeaten 70 off 47 balls versus Lucknow.
- Against Mumbai, Rizvi struck 90 off 51 balls, hitting seven fours and seven sixes and helping Delhi seize control of the chase.
- Delhi ultimately finished the job with 11 balls to spare, despite Rizvi missing out on a century.
- His turnaround traces back to the UP T20 League, where he scored nearly 500 runs in 2025 and another 400-plus the year before.
- Rizvi’s current season pick-up came at a reported cost of Rs 95 lakh.
From Chennai disappointment to a Delhi breakthrough
Rizvi’s rise has drawn early comparisons to Suresh Raina—especially his intent, the ease he shows against spin, and his appetite for the big phases of a chase. But the bigger storyline is that the season is starting to look like it belongs to him alone. During Saturday’s contest, Mumbai’s attack, including Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar and Mitchell Santner, served as the real test of whether his game could travel beyond slower bowling.
Deepak Chahar, who bowled to him, summed up the confidence behind Rizvi’s evolution. “I think he has the potential. When CSK bought him, they knew this ability—so obviously the potential was always there. Now, with experience, he has become better. What I’ve seen in the IPL is that confidence is the key to success. Everybody picked in the IPL has the skill, right? So now, I think he has become confident,” Chahar said.
That belief has been reinforced by back-to-back statements in the middle. First came a composed unbeaten knock of 70 off 47 balls against Lucknow. Then Rizvi produced his most eye-catching performance so far against Mumbai, smashing a rapid 90 off 51 deliveries. His innings included seven fours and seven maximums, and it swung Delhi’s chase decisively in their favour.
A century never arrived, but the target was still handled with control. Delhi cruised home with 11 balls to spare, underlining that Rizvi’s impact is not just about numbers—it’s about taking charge early and sustaining pressure on the opposition.
The league grind that built him, and the people who saw it coming
What makes Rizvi’s comeback feel even more rewarding is that the groundwork wasn’t laid under IPL lights. Before the current buzz, the improvement came through the hard grind of the UP T20 League. He nearly touched the 500-run mark in 2025 and followed it with another season of 400-plus runs the year before. In that period, he rebuilt himself as a cricketer—sharpening his approach and growing into a batter who can decide games rather than simply participate in them.
Delhi then acquired him for a bargain price of Rs 95 lakh this season, a stark contrast to the earlier hype around him. His time with Chennai had left a dent, with him managing 51 runs across eight innings—numbers that didn’t reflect the talent many believed was waiting to surface.
Those who have tracked Rizvi closely say the shift is not a surprise. His coach, Tankeeb Akhtar, described him as a boy who carried responsibility early—having been the youngest in a family of four and learning to play with purpose long before the spotlight found him.
Ghaziabad Cricket Association president Rakesh Mishra added further context to the journey. “Sameer is an extremely talented player. He performed brilliantly at the Under-16 level, captained UP Under-19, and has delivered consistently in the CK Nayudu, Syed Mushtaq Ali and Ranji tournaments,” Mishra said.
Now, with the stage bigger and the rhythm matching his confidence, Rizvi looks ready to keep climbing. Against Mumbai, he also demonstrated that his reputation for handling spin wasn’t the whole story. He showed he is just as comfortable facing pace. That is often the moment a prospect becomes a proper player—especially when the belief grows alongside the results.
The price tag may have reduced, but the conviction hasn’t. And if this run continues, it won’t be long before the next jump is measured not only in crores, but also in the colours he earns through sustained performances in the IPL.
