Mayank Rawat: Uttarakhand Cricketer

Mayank Rawat is an Indian batting all-rounder known for his aggressive strokeplay and handy right-arm off-break bowling. He first drew national attention as a schoolboy cricketer by breaking a long standing run scoring record previously held by former India opener Gautam Gambhir, before going on to represent Delhi in domestic cricket and earn a contract with the Mumbai Indians ahead of the 2026 IPL season.

Mayank Rawat was born on 4 December 1999 in New Delhi, into a sports loving family. His father, an avid cricket fan, became his first mentor, regularly taking him to local matches and encouraging him to pursue the game from an early age. He studied at Bal Bhavan International School in Dwarka, where he emerged as one of the school's most celebrated cricketing alumni, reportedly breaking a long standing schoolboy run scoring record previously held by former India opener and current national team head coach, Gautam Gambhir.

While Mayank Rawat was born and raised in Delhi and represents the Delhi team in domestic cricket rather than Uttarakhand's state side, his surname carries strong regional significance. Rawat is one of the most prominent Rajput surnames of the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of Uttarakhand, historically associated with bravery and leadership.

This heritage connection has seen him embraced by parts of the wider Uttarakhandi community, particularly the large Uttarakhandi diaspora based in Delhi-NCR. Organisations such as the Uttarakhand Sports Foundation have publicly recognised him as an inspiring figure and a "beacon of hope" for aspiring athletes with roots in the Himalayan region, even though he does not officially represent or run any such organisation himself.

Rawat has represented Delhi across age group and senior domestic cricket, playing his first-class cricket for the side and featuring for Delhi in List A and T20 formats as well. He made his T20 debut for Delhi in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Uttar Pradesh at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, playing under the captaincy of current Lucknow Super Giants all-rounder Ayush Badoni.

His opportunities in Delhi's senior format sides have been limited so far – in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, for instance, he featured in just two matches, scoring 12 runs and bowling only a single over, as Delhi failed to progress beyond the group stage under Nitish Rana's captaincy.

It was in franchise T20 cricket that Rawat truly made his name. Playing for the East Delhi Riders in the inaugural 2024 Delhi Premier League (DPL), he was a standout all-round performer, helping the side lift the title. Across 10 matches and 7 innings, he scored 289 runs at an outstanding average of 72.25 and a strike rate of 190.13, including three half-centuries.

• DPL Season 1 Champion: Helped East Delhi Riders win the inaugural Delhi Premier League title.
• Most Economical Bowler: Recognised for his economical bowling in multiple matches during the tournament.
• Highest Sixes & Fours (Final): Award winning striking display in the DPL final.
• "Best Hunt of DPL Season 1": Officially recognised by the league for his outstanding all round campaign.

Despite his limited opportunities in Delhi's senior domestic sides, Rawat's franchise T20 performances caught the eye of the five-time champions Mumbai Indians, who picked him up at his base price of ₹30 lakh during the IPL 2026 auction held on 16 December 2025. In an earlier interview, when asked which IPL team he would love to play for, Rawat had named Mumbai Indians – a wish that came true with the auction result. He also named Australian batter Steve Smith as his favourite overseas cricketer.

The move gives Rawat the opportunity to train alongside stars such as captain Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma, a significant step up in his development as an all-rounder at the highest level of franchise cricket.

Rawat continued to build momentum in early 2026, delivering a standout performance at the DY Patil T20 Cup. On 25 February 2026, playing for Reliance against BPCL (led by Shreyas Iyer), he smashed 63 runs off just 32 balls, including four sixes in a single over &adash; a "power-packed" display that drew widespread acclaim ahead of his IPL debut season.

Rawat's numbers reflect a player who has made his biggest impact in franchise T20 cricket, even as his opportunities in traditional Ranji format cricket for Delhi have remained limited so far.

Note: As an uncapped franchise cricket talent still building his first-class career, some of Rawat's stats continue to evolve rapidly; the figures above reflect the latest publicly available numbers as of the IPL 2026 season.

While best known for his aggressive batting, Rawat bowls right-arm off-break, offering his teams a genuine all-round option in white-ball cricket. His bowling has been particularly effective in the T20 format, where he has picked up 5 wickets in 11 matches for Delhi, and was recognised with the Most Economical Bowler of the Match award on multiple occasions during Delhi Premier League 2024 – a sign of his control and composure with the ball, especially during the middle overs of an innings.

Mayank Rawat keeps his personal life largely private, and as of early 2026, there is no public information or official confirmation regarding a girlfriend or spouse. His social media activity centres almost entirely on his cricketing journey with Mumbai Indians and the East Delhi Riders.

Off the field, he describes himself as a self proclaimed foodie, with a fondness for Delhi street food, including golgappas, alongside favourites like butter chicken and rajma chawal. He counts the cricket-themed film "Chain Kulii Ki Main Kulii" among his favourite movies, and while he admires Rohit Sharma's effortless batting and Shreyas Iyer's ability to counter spin, he has spoken about his ambition to give back once he achieves success, hoping to create opportunities for those who are financially disadvantaged – a reflection of his own challenging path into professional cricket. As part of the Mumbai Indians set up, he also participates in the franchise's community programmes, including its "Education and Sports for All" (ESA) initiative supporting underprivileged children.

Mayank Rawat's rise from a schoolboy record-breaker to an IPL contract carries significance beyond his own statistics.

He represents:

• A rare example of a franchise-T20 standout earning an IPL contract largely on the back of DPL and domestic T20 performances
• A carrier of Uttarakhandi Rajput heritage embraced by the diaspora community, even while representing Delhi on the field
• A young all-rounder with genuine promise, now training alongside some of world cricket's biggest names at Mumbai Indians

With his explosive batting, handy off-spin, and a first taste of IPL cricket now behind him, Mayank Rawat's journey is one worth following closely in the seasons ahead.