Rajasthan Royals’ Brijesh Sharma: Laborer’s Son Debuts Against CSK in IPL 2026
The Rajasthan Royals have added a debutant to their squad for the IPL opener in Guwahati on March 30. Brijesh Sharma is expected to see early overs at the Baraspara Cricket Stadium.
Personal background
Brijesh Sharma was born on December 16, 1998. He hails from Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and is 27 years old.
He grew up in a modest household as the son of a labourer. Financial struggles marked his early years.
Cricketing rise
Sharma progressed through Jammu & Kashmir age-group teams. He represented his state at U-19 and U-25 levels.
He featured in the 2025 Pro Bengal T20 League. There he finished as joint-highest wicket-taker with 11 wickets in seven games.
The Royals acquired him at a base price of ₹30 lakh. He has not played in other senior formats before this call-up.
Match context and team news
The Royals named him in the squad for the March 30 clash against Chennai Super Kings. Riyan Parag will lead the side as a full-time captain.
Parag won the toss and chose to field, citing earlier rain as a factor. Brijesh could bowl with the new ball alongside the team’s frontline pacers.
Playing XIs for the Guwahati game
- Chennai Super Kings: Sanju Samson (w), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Ayush Mhatre, Matthew Short, Shivam Dube, Kartik Sharma, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad, Matt Henry, Anshul Kamboj, Khaleel Ahmed.
- Rajasthan Royals: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Riyan Parag (c), Dhruv Jurel (w), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Sandeep Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma.
Injuries and competition
The Super Kings face two injury concerns ahead of the match. MS Dhoni is managing a calf problem and may be sidelined until late April.
Dewald Brevis is coping with a side strain. He might be fit after the first two or three games.
Brijesh will compete for bowling time with established new-ball options Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger. He has a chance to make an impression early in IPL 2026.
Regional significance
His selection continues a recent trend of talent emerging from Jammu and Kashmir. Players such as Umran Malik and Auqib Nabi paved a similar path.
As a labourer’s son who rose through local ranks, Sharma offers inspiration for aspiring cricketers in the region.
Earlier in the tournament, Royal Challengers Bengaluru chased 202 to beat SunRisers Hyderabad. Mumbai Indians chased 221 to defeat Kolkata Knight Riders in their opening game.
Report compiled for Filmogaz.com.
