Tankeeb Akhtar remembers last Tuesday evening vividly. He was with Sameer Rizvi at the latter’s residence in Lalkurti, Meerut, watching the 2024 IPL auction. While Rizvi was expected to be signed by some franchise, there was nervousness all around. The moment Chennai Super Kings raised the paddle immediately after his name was called upon, those pangs of anxiety started to slowly fade. The amount was astronomical for a rookie like him. The bidding stopped at Rs 8.4 crore. Even Rizvi admitted he did not expect to be offered such an insane amount of money.
Rizvi’s coach Akhtar, who is also his maternal uncle, was astonished. But deep within, he had faith in the ability of his ward. “Yes the feeling was unmatched, the first bid made everyone emotional,” says Akhtar. However, little did he or anyone in the house know what was about to unfold. Gujarat Titans followed CSK then Delhi Capitals joined the bid and in the blink of an eye, the figure crossed Rs 8 crore. “First it was pure emotions, then it was bewilderment. We were very happy.”
Just as Rizvi became the most expensive uncapped Indian cricketer in the auction, social media was abuzz. Who is this Sameer Rizvi and how did he go for such a high price were the two questions on everyone’s mind. The news of Rizvi’s six-hitting prowess in the middle-order, especially against spin, had spread like wildfire. He was playing in the newly-launched UP T20 league. Soon after he was among the sought-after players. Multiple franchises called him for trials but was not able to attend any of them because of commitments with the UP U23 side. Yet for someone who has played just two Ranji matches, 11 List-A and as many T20 matches for Uttar Pradesh, inducing a bidding war in the auction created ripples in the cricketing world.
Though the sum may look obscene, CSK does not believe so. The team’s CEO Kasi Viswanathan explains the rationale behind seeking his services. For CSK, he said, it was about getting a player who can fill in the void left behind by Ambati Rayudu.
“Sameer was a targeted player for many of the franchises. We were probably a bit lucky in getting Rizvi. Basically, if you look at it, we were trying to get a replacement for Rayudu. According to us, we didn’t have enough players with that kind of experience to bid for. So, we thought it was better to go in for a youngster who has promise. I am not saying this just because we have picked him, but he is going to be the next best but the opportunity is there for that,” said Viswanathan, adding that signing Rizvi will help the team.
For Akhtar, though, it was a long-awaited dream fulfilled. After all, it was his aspirations to become a cricketer that brought Akhtar from Amroli Urf Baragoan, a small village about 30km from Meerut, to the city in 2004. He pursued his passion while staying with her sister Rukhsana Khatoon. At that point, Rizvi was just a toddler. However, Akhtar soon realised that he was probably a bit older and with his career a little stagnant, he took to coaching. And it was under Akhtar where Rizvi honed his skills at the Gandhi Bagh Cricket Academy. Such was Rizvi’s dominance in age-group cricket that he played for India U19 before he even turned 16. Then the senior UP debut followed and in the last couple of years, Rizvi has become a prominent member of the state’s white-ball side.
In 2023, when the UP T20 league came along, Rizvi was hitting sixes for fun, smashing 455 runs from 9 innings. He hit 35 sixes in the Up T20 league, and then led the state to U23 List-A title where he scored 454 runs while hitting 37 sixes. The tag of ‘right-handed Raina’ — his sixes against spinners looks similar to that of former India and CSK captain Suresh Raina — seems only fitting to the reputation Rizvi has built over the years. As for the money the middle-class player has earned — Rs 8.4 crore — it will help in his status in the society. His father was diagnosed with a brain haemorrhage three years ago. While he is a lot better now, Rizvi’s earnings will be crucial for the treatment. From taking up the sport at the age of six, to becoming the most expensive uncapped player in the 2024 auction, Rizvi had come a long way.