New Delhi, April 14 (IANS) Rising Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Sakib Hussain has captured attention not just for his impressive IPL debut, but for a journey defined by hardship, perseverance, and sacrifice, a story that resurfaced after an old video from his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders went viral.

Coming from a modest background in Bihar’s Gopalganj district, Sakib’s early days in cricket were shaped by financial constraints, with even basic equipment out of reach. “Shoes are very expensive. Proper bowling spikes cost around Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000. If we spend that much on shoes, then what will we eat?” he said in a now-viral video.

His mother recalled the emotional toll of those moments and the sacrifices the family made to support his ambition. “He started crying, saying, ‘Mummy, I don’t have shoes, how will I play?’ We didn’t have that kind of money. I had to sell my jewellery to somehow get him those shoes,” she said.

Despite limited means, Sakib’s rise in cricket was steady. He initially served as a net bowler for Chennai Super Kings before being picked up by KKR ahead of the 2024 season. However, he did not feature in a match over two seasons with the franchise.

Reflecting on his roots, Sakib highlighted the responsibilities he took on early in life due to his family’s circumstances. “I’m from Bihar, and my district, Gopalganj, is about 125 km from Patna. Back home, we don’t really have much. We are farmers. My father used to do farming, but then he developed a knee problem, so I told him he shouldn’t continue anymore,” he said.

His father echoed the family’s struggles during that period. “Now I am the one who has to earn for the family. If I were ill, even arranging a single meal became something we had to think about,” he said.

Sakib’s introduction to cricket came through local encouragement rather than structured training. “There is a ground near us, so he used to go early in the morning for running. Some local coaches noticed him and told him to try cricket,” his father added.

He began with tennis-ball cricket, often travelling long distances to earn small match fees, which further strengthened his resolve.

“I used to play tennis-ball cricket, earning Rs 500, 600, 700, and sometimes even Rs 2,000 if I travelled about 150 km to play. From that point, I made up my mind that I had to pursue cricket,” Sakib said.

His performances soon began to reflect his potential. He made his T20 debut for Bihar in the 2022–23 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and impressed early, claiming 4/20 in just his second appearance at the age of 17. He later registered a five-wicket haul in the 2025–26 Ranji Trophy, returning figures of 6/41 against Arunachal Pradesh.

The performances caught the attention of IPL scouts, and at the 2026 auction, Sunrisers Hyderabad secured his services for Rs 30 lakh.

He made an immediate impact on debut, playing a key role in Hyderabad’s win while defending a total of 217. After early breakthroughs left the opposition struggling, Sakib struck crucial blows, including dismissing Yashasvi Jaiswal. He later broke a threatening partnership, removing both Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, and Ravi Bishnoi to seal the contest.

Sakib’s rise from a small village to the IPL stage underscores a journey built on resilience and determination, one that began with a simple challenge and a family’s unwavering support, and has now translated into success on cricket’s biggest domestic platform.

–IANS

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