KNOW YOUR PLAYER
Follow UsDespite making his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2016, Swapnil Singh was largely an unknown commodity entering into this season. Across his seven previous IPL games, his impact was almost negligible, with him taking just one wicket across 72 balls.
Guess who the wicket was? Mahendra Singh Dhoni!
That didn’t deter Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from picking the Punjab-born all-rounder at the 2024 IPL Auction for INR 20 lakh. So, what did RCB see in the all-rounder to get him at the auction?
Swapnil has had quite an interesting career. The now 33-year-old was part of the 25-man probables at the 2008 U-19 World Cup but ultimately wasn’t picked in the squad. What set the left-arm spinner out from the crowd was that he made his First-Class debut at the age of 14 years and 355 days for Baroda.
The left-arm spinner played 56 first-class games for Baroda before switching to Uttarakhand. By that time, he had already left an impact, picking up 124 wickets at an average of 32.25, with seven five-wicket hauls.
The one performance that stood out in his domestic T20 career was his 6/19. Guess which team? Saurashtra. In the 2014/15 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), the left-arm spinner jolted the domestic behemoth Saurashtra, removing top stars such as Sheldon Jackson and Cheteshwar Pujara.
That performance got him to the IPL, where he made his debut for Punjab Kings (Kings XI Punjab then) at the Eden Gardens in 2016. The left-arm spinner was wicketless and went unnoticed for most of his IPL career before Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) reignited his career in 2023.
However, considering the competition, he didn’t get a lot of opportunities and eventually had to settle for a spot on the bench. After eight games on the bench for RCB, the all-rounder was finally called upon on April 25 (Thursday) against the dominant Sunrisers Hyderabad.
His first impact was with the bat when he tonked a low full-toss off T Natarajan’s bowling to kickstart his 2024 season. In the very next delivery, the right-handed threw his hands to get a four over the backward point region. Swapnil ended with a 6-ball 12, a knock that ultimately helped RCB to push past the 200-run mark.
While Swapnil’s batting exploits became well-known, his bowling still had to come to the fore, given that there was a gun batting unit in front of him. The left-arm spinner’s last T20 appearance for Uttarakhand was back in the 2023/24 season, where he picked up five wickets, averaging 25.20. Prior to his debut for RCB, the left-arm spinner played 76 T20s, with 63 wickets, averaging 25.06 with the ball while maintaining an economy of 7.05.
At 37/2, with Aiden Markram at the crease and Heinrich Klaasen walking out, it was the first real pressure situation for 33-year-old Swapnil. His toil at the domestic level immediately paid dividends, with him removing the South African skipper Markram for a seven-ball eight.
Four deliveries later, he was yet again on target, but this time frying a bigger fish. The left-arm spinner tossed the ball up, enticing Klaasen into a big hit. He not only dismissed Klaasen but also silenced the Uppal faithful in Hyderabad.
While Swapnil was taken apart later in the innings, it was his twin wicket over that ultimately turned the tide in RCB’s favour.
Downloaded Our Updated Fantasy App Yet? Don't delay, Download Now.
