Shivang Kumar: How father Praveen transformed the swashbuckling opener into a chinaman in a year!

The accidental spinner

Around a year ago, Praveen had another serious conversation with his son and told him that as a batter, he would not get picked for Madhya Pradesh, let alone the IPL or Team India. The reality check shook the young Shivang, but he trusted his father's plan.

Interestingly, until last year, Shivang was a top-order batter and his exploits for Bhopal Leopards in the Madhya Pradesh T20 League put him in the spotlight. But it was his left-arm wrist-spin that added more value to his profile, and he was picked as a marquee player for Bundelkhand Bulls for Rs 13 lakh in the 2026 season.

IPL franchises Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad called him for trials. He went on to play List A and T20 cricket for Madhya Pradesh. In three List A games, he picked up ten wickets, including a five-wicket haul against a strong Karnataka side in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scalped eight wickets in as many matches and impressed everyone with his guile. Shivang was then picked by the SRH in the IPL auction.

"It was evening and I was having tea with him in our courtyard in Moradabad. I told him he would have to do something out of the box. He was a left-arm spinner and an opener. The opening slot is packed in the state and IPL teams, and with the kind of pitches being prepared these days, his left-arm spin was of no use. I gave him the ball and asked him to bowl chinaman. The ball spun. I myself was a left-arm wrist-spinner. I showed him the grip for the googly and the leg-break. He executed it perfectly," recalls Kumar.

Immediately, father and son went to the nearest stadium, where Shivang bowled while Praveen recorded videos. After analysing them, Praveen became convinced that his son could make it to the top level, but there was a catch.

"The revs on the ball were amazing. The wrong'un was excellent. I told him that if he worked according to the schedule I would chart out for him, he would have a great career. For the next three months, he bowled 25 overs per day at a single stump, and he was ready," says Praveen.

During the MPL, when Shivang joined Bhopal Leopards, their coach Devendra Bundela, who had picked Shivang for his batting, was impressed with his wrist-spin.

"I instructed him that no matter how many runs he conceded in the MPL, he would bowl wrist-spin. It was a miracle. I still can't believe it. Shivang was always an opening batter. What a transformation he has had," says Bundela, a former Madhya Pradesh captain who has played 164 first-class matches.

The MS Dhoni touch

Growing up, like most athletes, it was not easy for Shivang. At the age of 13, he decided to quit cricket after not being selected for the Uttar Pradesh U-14 and U-16 sides in trials held at Kamla Club in Kanpur. A dejected Shivang asked his father to pack his cricket kit and put it in the storeroom as he wanted to focus on studies.

"Yeh U-14, U-16 ke chakkar mein marks kam aa rahe hain, cricket ab rehne dete hain. Padh leta hoon, shayad kuch ban jaun (I’m getting poor marks because of all this U-14 and U-16 cricket. I think I should stop for now. I’ll focus on studies, maybe I’ll become something)," says Kumar.

"I also did not want to force him, so I made peace with it."

A year later, Shivang went with his friends to watch MS Dhoni's biopic in a theatre. "He came back and said, 'Papa, lagta hai badi jaldi haar maan gaye (I think I gave up too early),'" a rejuvenated Shivang told his father.

The next day, Praveen also watched the movie.

"I came out in tears after watching it. I remembered my 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, as we would leave for Gwalior the next morning," he says.

Praveen took Shivang to Tansen Cricket Academy in Gwalior, where the coach needed an opening partner for a U-16 tournament in Bhopal.

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"Shivang's opening partner was Priyansh Arya," laughs Praveen. "In that match, Priyansh scored 180 and Shivang made 160," he adds.

From then on, Shivang never looked back, and neither did his father. Praveen is yet to watch his son play live in a stadium, but he is not worried.

"My first duty is to 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 signed off with the Shramjeevi Express still slated to depart from Platform 8 in 45 minutes.