Farmer’s son became a cricketer… Had a dream of becoming a soldier, fate made him a fast bowler, mother mortgaged her jewelery and got the shoes

New Delhi. Coming from a small village in Gopalganj, Bihar, leaving your mark in the glittering world of IPL is not an easy task. But Saqib Hussain did what every young cricketer dreams of. While debuting for Sunrisers Hyderabad, Shakib not only broke the back of Rajasthan Royals by taking 4 wickets, but also wrote a story of his hard work and struggle which is an example for the coming generations. Shakib’s mother had mortgaged her jewelery to make her son a cricketer, which she has not been able to get rid of from the goldsmith till date. There is an atmosphere of celebration in the house on the success of the son.

Sakib Hussain was born in 2004 in a very ordinary family. Father Ali Ahmed Hussain was a farmer, but a knee injury took away his work. When the financial condition of the house deteriorated, Saqib realized the responsibility in his childhood itself. He once wanted to serve the country by joining the Indian Army. To prepare for this, he used to go running on the field every day, but destiny had something else in store. While running, he got a cricket ball in his hand and his natural athletic ability made him a fast bowler.

The basis of career decorated with mother’s jewelery
In the initial days, Saqib did not even have money to buy shoes. He used to go to play tennis ball tournaments in nearby areas, where he used to get Rs 500 to Rs 1000 for a match. The stove in the house was lit with this money. But ‘spikes’ (professional shoes) were necessary for leather ball cricket. When the situation increased at home, mother Subuktara Khatoon took a big decision. She arranged for shoes for Saqib by mortgaging her jewellery. This sacrifice of his mother was burning like a fire in Saqib’s heart. Now he had to succeed at any cost.

Rejected, but not broken
Saqib’s story is not only of success but also of patience. In the year 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders bought him in the auction at the base price. But he had to sit on the bench the entire season. During that time Saqib realized that the speed of 140 km/hr was not enough. He decided that he had to break the wall of 150 km/hr. In the year 2025, KKR released him and he remained unsold in the 2025 auction. This is a morale-breaking moment for any player, but Shakib did not give up.

Varun Aaron’s expert eye and SRH’s support
When the world had forgotten Shakib, former Indian fast bowler Varun Aaron was keeping an eye on him at the MRF Academy. Shakib’s lethal bowling against Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy impressed the management of Sunrisers Hyderabad. As a result, Hyderabad included him in their team in the IPL 2026 auction at a base price of Rs 30 lakh.

When Gopalganj’s red shined on the debut night
For Shakib, the IPL debut match was like ‘do or die’. Along with fellow debutant Prafulla Hinge, he unleashed such fire that the opposition batsmen were defeated. Shakib took 4 wickets giving only 24 runs in his quota of 4 overs. The same speed of 150 km/hour and the same passion to repay the price of mother’s jewelery were visible in his balls. This is not just four wickets, it is the fruit of those nights when Shakib slept on an empty stomach and the answer to the tears that his mother hid while selling jewellery.

Saqib Hussain’s name is on the lips of the entire country
Today, when the name of Saqib Hussain is on the lips of the entire country, it is important to remember that his success did not happen overnight. This is the victory of years of penance, father’s skill of converting helplessness into strength and a mother’s unwavering faith. Saqib proved that if the intentions are steel, then the tricolor can be hoisted on the biggest stage of the world from the soil of Bihar.