"Had Three Hernias, Was On Bed Rest": RCB Star Suyash Sharma Reveals Ordeal Ahead Of IPL

Ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's home fixture against Chennai Super Kings, rising star Suyash Sharma reflected on his challenging journey and his resolute dedication to play the sport despite suffering an injury. The 21-year-old revealed how he earned his first IPL contract with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders before switching to RCB. "I had never played in a proper tournament before the IPL. I had only played Under-25. I spent six or seven years in trials but was never picked. Every time I visited my parents, they would ask when I'd get a chance in the IPL. But my mum and dad never doubted me. They could see how hard I was working," he said. 

"After the Under-25s, I went for IPL trials. At that time, my googly was very sharp. I think I took eight wickets out of ten in one match, it was a KKR practice match, and even the wicket-keeper was getting beat. That's when I was picked. My father was in hospital then. He cried when he heard. No one expected me to play IPL so soon," Suyash said on the latest edition of RCB Bold Diaries.

"Before the IPL, I was on bed rest for three months. I only started bowling two weeks before the tournament. But during those three months, I visualised everything. I kept thinking about my bowling all day. I would run affirmations in my head. I'd plan each ball: first I'll bowl like this, then like that. I think all of that really helped. I worked on my run-up too. My run-up is my bowling. If you keep something in your mind long enough, when the time comes to do it, you feel prepared. You just think, ‘I've done this before. I'll do it again.' I just had to recreate it in the match.”

The spinner thanked RCB for handling his surgery in London and getting him ready for the IPL 2025.