Akash Madhwal: Cricketer

Akash Madhwal's rise in Indian cricket is a story of late blooming success rather than early stardom. He didn't enter competitive cricket until the age of 24, and only became a full-time cricketer after Uttarakhand's cricket association gained BCCI affiliation in 2018. Representing a state that had only just entered India's domestic structure made his path to the top even steeper – yet within five years, he was holding a record-breaking IPL playoff spell in front of millions of viewers.

Akash Madhwal was born on 25 November 1993 in Roorkee, Uttarakhand. His family originally hails from Dungra village in the Almora district of Uttarakhand, but settled in Roorkee nearly three decades ago after his father, Ghananand, was posted there while serving in the Military Engineer Services (MES) wing of the Indian Army. Ghananand passed away in 2010, and Akash's mother, Asha, a homemaker, helped raise him and his brother, Ashish, with whom he played cricket as a child.

Akash Madhwal completed his schooling at Roorkee Public Senior Secondary School before pursuing a degree in Civil Engineering from the College of Engineering, Roorkee, graduating in 2016. He briefly worked as an engineer before deciding to leave the profession entirely to chase a career in professional cricket – a decision that would take a few more years to pay off.

Before turning professional, Madhwal spent years playing tennis-ball cricket on Uttarakhand's local grounds, where he first honed his signature skill: precise, high pressure yorkers. When the Uttarakhand Cricket Association became BCCI-affiliated in 2018, it opened the door to organised trials, and Madhwal, then 24, finally entered competitive red ball and white ball cricket.

His performances caught the attention of former India opener Wasim Jaffer, who was serving as Uttarakhand's head coach at the time, alongside current head coach Manish Jha. The duo advised him to focus on red ball cricket, and Jaffer selected him for the Uttarakhand state team, where his skills were further sharpened under coach Avtar Singh – who had also previously coached India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant. Notably, Madhwal and Pant are close neighbours, both hailing from the same part of Uttarakhand.

Akash Madhwal made his T20 debut for Uttarakhand on 8 November 2019, against Karnataka in the 2019-20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and followed it with his first class debut in the Ranji Trophy the same season, on 25 December 2019. He made his List A debut in February 2021.

In first-class cricket, Madhwal has picked up 14 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 3.43, while in List A cricket he has taken 25 wickets across 22 games at an economy of 5.5. He was later made Uttarakhand's captain for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy ahead of the 2022-23 domestic season, becoming the first home grown Uttarakhand cricketer to reach the IPL.

Madhwal's IPL journey began quietly, well before he ever played a match. He was a net bowler for Royal Challengers Bengaluru during the second leg of IPL 2021, without making the main squad. In 2022, Mumbai Indians signed him as a replacement for the injured Suryakumar Yadav – but he did not play a single game that season, remaining a squad member throughout.

Mumbai Indians retained him for IPL 2023, and it was only then, in the absence of injured bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Jofra Archer, that Madhwal finally got his chance. His actual IPL debut came on 3 May 2023, against Punjab Kings at Mohali. It was a tough start – he conceded 37 runs across three overs without a wicket but he showed glimpses of composure by bowling a disciplined final over of the innings, hinting at the death bowling skill that would soon define his breakout.

The defining moment of Madhwal's career arrived in the IPL 2023 Eliminator against Lucknow Super Giants on 24 May 2023, in Chennai. Mumbai Indians had posted 182/8, built around a 66-run stand between Cameron Green and Suryakumar Yadav, and needed a big bowling performance to defend it.

Madhwal delivered one of the greatest spells in IPL knockout history, returning figures of 5 wickets for just 5 runs in 3.3 overs, bowling Lucknow out for 101 to seal an 81-run win. His double strike over bowling Ayush Badoni off a wild slog, then dismissing Nicholas Pooran for a golden duck two balls later turned the match on its head. The figures made him the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul in an IPL playoff match, surpassing a 13-year-old record held by Doug Bollinger, and matched Anil Kumble's record for the most economical IPL five-wicket haul.

Akash Madhwal is a right-arm medium-fast bowler who typically clocks in the 130-135 kmph range – not an out-and-out express pacer, but one whose quick arm action generates unusual skid and late movement off the pitch. His biggest strength lies in his control, particularly his ability to execute yorkers consistently in the death overs, a skill he built through years of tennis ball cricket.

Rather than relying on raw pace, Madhwal focuses on seam position, subtle changes of length, and slower ball variations to trouble batters. His calm, repeatable action and composure under pressure have drawn comparisons to Jasprit Bumrah's death bowling style, even though their pace profiles differ.

Across his IPL career so far, Madhwal has picked up 23 wickets, bowling 58.4 overs at an economy of 10.06, with one four wicket haul in addition to his famous five wicket haul.

Akash Madhwal was signed by Mumbai Indians at his base price of ₹20 lakh for the 2023 IPL auction – the same price at which he had originally joined the franchise as an injury replacement the previous year. He was retained by Mumbai Indians at the same price for IPL 2024. Following a modest 2024 season, MI released him ahead of the 2025 auction, where he was picked up by Rajasthan Royals for a significantly higher fee of ₹1.2 crore, reflecting the value franchises placed on his death bowling expertise after his breakout campaign.

As of the 2026 IPL season, Akash Madhwal plays for Chennai Super Kings, having joined the franchise as an injury replacement for young opener Ayush Mhatre. This followed a single season with Rajasthan Royals in 2025, after two seasons with Mumbai Indians (2023-2024), the franchise where he first made his name. In domestic cricket, he continues to represent Uttarakhand, the state team he has played for since his debut in 2019.

Note: IPL franchise affiliations change frequently through annual auctions and trades; the information above reflects his team as of the 2026 season.

Akash Madhwal's story represents the rise of cricketing talent from India's smaller cricketing states.

His success story is part of a wider movement, with emerging names like Mayank Rawat showing how consistent performances and opportunities in domestic cricket can help young players reach bigger stages.

• The first home-grown Uttarakhand cricketer to play in the Indian Premier League
• Holder of the record for best bowling figures by an uncapped player in IPL history (5/5)
• The first bowler to take a five wicket haul in an IPL playoff match
• A symbol of patience and late blooming success, having only turned professional at 24

From tennis ball cricket on Uttarakhand's local grounds to a record-breaking IPL playoff spell, Akash Madhwal's journey proves that dedication and the right opportunity can turn a late starter into a national cricketing story.