Who is Rasikh Salaam Dar… who wrote a new story after facing the ban, father is a government teacher

New Delhi. When the teams of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were face to face, all eyes were on the big stars. But that evening, a name echoed in the Chinnaswamy Stadium, who surprised the world more with his cleverness than his speed. That name was Rasikh Salam Dar. Born in a small village in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, this journey was never easy for Rasikh. But her magical spell of 4 overs, 24 runs and 4 wickets against Lucknow proved that if talent gets the right platform, it does not take long for her to create history.

The story of Rasikh Salam Dar is not limited to the cricket field only. This is the story of his patience and comeback. When he made his debut for Mumbai Indians in 2019, he was just 18 years old. But the age dispute and two-year ban put brakes on his career. For a young player, being out of the field in the early stages of his career was no less than a nightmare. But Rasikh did not give up. He worked hard in the plains of Kashmir and created that edge in his bowling, which became the basis of RCB’s victory in IPL 2026. Rasikh’s father is a teacher in a government school. He is the youngest among four brothers.

That historic night against Lucknow
RCB batted first in this match and scored a respectable score. But Lucknow had explosive batsmen like Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni. When the match seemed stuck, the captain handed the ball to 26-year-old Rasikh. Rasikh wrote a new chapter of bowling that night. Instead of relying on his usual 140 plus kilometer per hour speed, he wove such a web of his ‘knuckle ball’ and ‘off-cutter’ that the batsmen were completely dodged.

Markram and Badoni’s hunt
The biggest turning point of the match came when Rasikh trapped South African legend Aiden Markram on one of his excellent slower deliveries. Markram could not read the speed of the ball and played the shots early. Immediately after this, Rasikh also showed the way to the pavilion by dodging Ayush Badoni, who was at the crease, with his clever length. Rasikh did not stop here. He broke Lucknow’s hopes by dismissing Mukul Chaudhary and finally completed his ‘Hall of Fame’ (4 wickets) by taking the wicket of fast bowler Avesh Khan.

Rasikh’s new Brahmastra
In modern T-20 cricket, where batsmen destroy bowlers on flat pitches, Rasikh made his slower balls a weapon. The most special thing about his spell was that there was not even an iota of difference in the action of his fast ball and slow ball. Against Lucknow, he bowled about 10 slow balls out of his 24-ball spell. It shows his maturity that this player, born on 5 April 2000, has learned to read the minds of international level batsmen at the age of just 26.

RCB and Rasikh’s unbreakable relationship
RCB was always looking for an Indian fast bowler who could give confidence to the team in the death overs. Rasikh Salam Dar has filled that void this season. His figures of 4/24 are not just a one-match performance, but a result of the discipline he has shown in domestic cricket over the last 2-3 years. Now he is being called as ‘Comeback King’ in the camp of RCB. This story of Rasikh Salam Dar is an inspiration for thousands of youth who come from small towns and struggling situations. His success shows that if you have talent and the passion to learn from your mistakes, then sky-high heights are waiting for you.