Mayank Rawat IPL Debut: Who is Mayank Rawat… who made his debut in IPL, hit 5 sixes in one over

New Delhi. Every year new stars are born in the corridors of Indian cricket and IPL. The current season of IPL is also not untouched by this. Today, amidst the glamor of Wankhede Stadium, a new name is in the headlines, Mayank Rawat. This 26-year-old all-rounder from Delhi made his much-awaited debut for Mumbai Indians against Punjab Kings today. Five-time champion Mumbai Indians is going through a difficult phase at the moment. The team is trying to stabilize its middle order and bring depth to the bowling. In such a situation, after the illness of experienced Kiwi all-rounder Mitchell Santner, captain Hardik Pandya expressed confidence in Mayank Rawat and handed him the prestigious ‘MI Cap’.

Mayank Rawat was born on 4 December 1999 in New Delhi. He plays for Delhi in domestic cricket. Mayank started his career in age-group cricket in Delhi, where he proved his talent. During the ‘Delhi Premier League’ (DPL) in 2024, he performed brilliantly for East Delhi Riders and scored 289 runs, which caught the attention of IPL scouts. He has hit five sixes in one over in DPL. He made his first-class debut against Tamil Nadu on 18 October 2024 and soon made his way into the T20 format through the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). Mayank has been groomed by his coach Rajesh Nagar since 2011. His strengths are his ability to hit big shots and accurate right-arm off-break bowling.

IPL 2026 auction and Mumbai’s bets
During the IPL 2026 auction, Mumbai Indians bought Mayank Rawat at his base price of Rs 30 lakh. Although it was not a huge amount, strategically it was considered a masterstroke by MI. The talent scout team of Mumbai Indians, comprising stalwarts like Kiran More and Parthiv Patel, had recognized Mayank’s all-round skills. His inclusion in the team in today’s match shows that he has impressed coach Mark Boucher and captain Pandya in the net sessions. Mayank not only offers explosive batting options in the lower middle order, but can also curb the run rate with his off-spin on pitches like Wankhede.

Mayank Rawat’s domestic statistics
Mayank’s strike rate in domestic T20 cricket has been around 140. Which makes him a dangerous player in the death overs. His average in domestic T20 has been around 28.5, in which he has played match-winning innings when needed. He is not only adept at taking wickets but also restricts runs with an economy of 7.60. In the recent domestic season, he has proved his worth several times with scores of 40 plus and important 3-wicket hauls.

Story of Mayank’s tough struggle
Mayank’s journey to reach here was not easy. Despite playing mammoth innings of 220 runs against Haryana at the Under-14 level and then 244 runs in another match, he did not get consistent opportunities in the team. For many years he had to sit on the bench or prove himself in limited opportunities. But he did not give up and continued working on his fitness and technique.