Praveen Kumar, Chief Inspector of Ticketing (CIT) in Indian Railways, was talking mid-routine as he prepared to catch the Shramjeevi Express to Patna. “My train leaves in about an hour from Platform 8. I can spare you ten minutes,” he said, speaking while juggling work and family commitments. Kumar’s story quickly turns from the railway timetable to cricket dreams—because the person he is racing to support is his son, Shivang Kumar, who is currently representing Sunrisers Hyderabad in the ongoing IPL.
Railway duty and a cricketing legacy
Praveen has spent 34 years with Indian Railways and has also played cricket at a high level earlier in life, including representing Bengal at the Under-19 level. Over the years, his career has intertwined with his son’s growth as a cricketer, with the elder Kumar taking on a father-coach role while still managing his professional responsibilities.
Shivang is already making an impact in the IPL, having taken six wickets from eight matches. His best performance so far is 3/33 against Punjab Kings on April 11.
A prophecy from Vrindavan and the father’s resolve
Praveen traces the beginning of his faith to a family trip to Vrindavan. He recalls an incident from when Shivang was around eight years old, when a saint made a prediction. “A man told me that the boy would make me proud and that he would fulfill the dreams I couldn’t. I initially thought the saint wanted money—so I tried to offer Rs 50. But he refused and said the child would raise my name,” Praveen remembered.
That promise, Praveen says, has come true. He also describes how he has been actively involved in Shivang’s cricketing routine. “I’ve been taking him to the stadium since he was five. I used to take both my sons, Shivang and Devang. I never forced them, but I always prayed that the cricketing gods would let me live my dream through my children. It’s all part of God’s plan,” he explained.
From Ranji hopes to the Railways—then back to cricket
Praveen vividly remembers his own turning point after his Bengal Under-19 stint. When his name surfaced among the Ranji Trophy probables, he came back to Moradabad to ask for his parents’ blessings—yet destiny had a different path lined up. He was offered a job in the Railways through the sports quota, and his mother responded firmly when he considered continuing cricket. “She told me I was being ungrateful, like I was striking a heavy plate with my foot,” he said, adding that he accepted the railway role and stepped away from the sport.
However, the story changed again recently. “Two months ago, when Shivang was offered a job with the Railways, he took a stand. I told him to forget the job and focus on cricket—because I wanted him to commit fully to the game,” Praveen said.
The “accidental” spinner moment
About a year earlier, Praveen had an honest conversation with Shivang as a batter. He told him that selection as a batter would be difficult in Madhya Pradesh, let alone reaching the IPL or Team India. The reality check shook Shivang, but he trusted the plan his father was mapping out.
Until the previous year, Shivang had been a top-order batter. His performances for Bhopal Leopards in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League put him in the spotlight. Yet his left-arm wrist-spin began to add a different dimension to his profile, eventually leading to him being named a marquee player for Bundelkhand Bulls for Rs 13 lakh in the 2026 season.
- Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad contacted him for trials.
- He played List A and T20 cricket for Madhya Pradesh.
- In three List A matches, he took ten wickets, including a five-wicket haul versus Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
- In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he claimed eight wickets in eight games.
- After those performances, SRH picked him in the IPL auction.
Training the chinaman and building match-ready skills
Praveen describes how he helped Shivang discover the bowling direction that suited him best. “It was evening and we were having tea in our courtyard in Moradabad. I told him he needed to do something out of the ordinary. He was a left-arm spinner and also an opener, but opening slots are already packed in the state and in IPL teams. With the kind of pitches being prepared these days, left-arm spin wasn’t getting much use,” he said.
So Praveen gave him a specific task: he asked Shivang to bowl a chinaman delivery. “The ball spun. I had been a left-arm wrist-spinner myself. I showed him the grip for the googly and the leg-break, and he executed it perfectly,” Kumar recalled.
Praveen and Shivang then went straight to the nearest ground for practical work, with Praveen recording footage while Shivang bowled. After reviewing the videos, he felt Shivang had a real chance—but he also saw the need for structure. “The revs on the ball were amazing, and the wrong’un was excellent. I told him that if he followed my schedule, I would chart out his progress, and he would have a great career,” Praveen said.
For three months, Shivang trained intensely: bowling 25 overs per day from a single stump, and doing it with a clear plan. “During the MPL, when Shivang joined Bhopal Leopards, their coach Devendra Bundela—who had initially picked him for batting—noticed his wrist-spin too,” Praveen added.
Coach Bundela on the transformation
Bundela, a former Madhya Pradesh captain who played 164 first-class matches, shared his perspective on Shivang’s shift. “I told him that no matter how many runs he conceded in the MPL, he would still bowl wrist-spin. It was a miracle. I still can’t believe it. Shivang was always an opening batter. What a transformation,” Bundela said.
MS Dhoni’s biopic and the comeback from setbacks
Praveen also spoke about the challenges Shivang faced while growing up. At 13 years old, he decided to quit cricket after failing to secure selection for the Uttar Pradesh Under-14 and Under-16 sides during trials held at Kamla Club in Kanpur. In that phase of disappointment, Shivang asked his father to store away his cricket kit and focus on studies.
“Because of all that Under-14 and Under-16 cricket, my marks were getting affected. I think I should pause. I’ll focus on studies—maybe I’ll become something,” Kumar quoted Shivang as saying.
Praveen, he added, did not want to force him either. “I made peace with it,” he said.
A year later, a major turning point came through inspiration rather than selection. Shivang went with friends to watch the theatre release of MS Dhoni’s biopic and returned with new energy. “He came back and told me, ‘Papa, I think I gave up too early,’” Praveen recalled.
The next day, Praveen watched the film too. “I came out in tears after watching it. I remembered my own days—how I used to travel in general compartments for a day to reach Calcutta. It made me emotional. I returned home and told him to pack his bags and kit because we would leave for Gwalior the following morning,” he said.
A new academy and a defining pair of numbers
In Gwalior, Praveen took Shivang to Tansen Cricket Academy, where the coach required an opening partner for a U-16 tournament in Bhopal. “Shivang’s opening partner was Priyansh Arya,” Praveen said with a laugh. “In that match, Priyansh scored 180 and Shivang made 160,” he added.
From that point, Shivang never looked back, according to his father—and neither did Praveen. While Praveen is yet to watch his son play live in a stadium, he is not worried. “My first duty is the Indian Railways. It has given me everything. If I get leave, I will go and watch him play. Until then, I have more serious responsibilities on my shoulders,” he concluded, with the Shramjeevi Express still due to depart from Platform 8 in roughly 45 minutes.
