International career
Kumar Kartikeya Singh, born on December 26, 1997, is an Indian cricketer who plays as a spinner.
Kumar comes from a small town in Uttar Pradesh. His rise to the IPL is a result of his hard work, dedication, and love for cricket. As a young player, he has the chance to make a mark in Indian cricket. His story motivates many young cricketers, showing them the importance of persistence and hard work in reaching their dreams.
He started as a left-arm orthodox spinner. Later, he learned wrist spin and chose to focus on that style of bowling.
Kumar Kartikeya has not been selected for the national team yet.
Leagues Participation
Kumar Kartikeya Singh has played in a few major cricket leagues. His most important league involvement has been in the Indian Premier League (IPL). His career in these leagues shows his hard work and growth as a cricketer.
Indian Premier League
Kumar Kartikeya joined Mumbai Indians in 2022 after Mohd. Arshad Khan got injured. He played his first match on April 30, 2022, against Rajasthan Royals. In his debut, he bowled well and took his first IPL wicket, dismissing Sanju Samson. Over the 2022 and 2023 seasons, Kartikeya took 10 wickets in 12 matches. He was kept by MI for IPL 2024 but did not play any games. However, MI has decided to keep him for IPL 2025.
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Year
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Team
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Notes
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2022
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Mumbai Indians
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Debuted on April 30, 2022, and took his first IPL wicket.
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2023
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Mumbai Indians
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Took 10 wickets in 12 matches during the two seasons.
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2024
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Mumbai Indians
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Retained but did not play in any match in IPL 2024.
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2025
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Mumbai Indians
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Kept for IPL 2025 with hopes to play next season.
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Domestic career
Kumar Kartikeya started his career with Madhya Pradesh (MP) in the 2018-19 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He played against Saurashtra, taking 1 wicket for 28 runs from 10 overs. He dismissed Robin Uthappa, a big wicket in that match. Later in 2018, he made his debut in the Ranji Trophy for MP against Kerala. He took the wicket of Basil Thampi in that match.
In 2019, Kartikeya debuted in T20 cricket for MP in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He bowled 4 overs for 10 runs and took 3 wickets, helping MP win by 50 runs.
In the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy season, Kartikeya played a key role in MP winning the title. In the final against Mumbai, he took 4 wickets. He finished the season as the second-highest wicket-taker with 32 wickets from 11 innings. In the 2022-23 season, he took his first ten-wicket haul in first-class cricket against Chandigarh.
In the 2024 Ranji Trophy, Kartikeya played against Jammu and Kashmir, taking 1/73 and 3/31, which helped MP win by 256 runs. His best performance in first-class cricket came when he took 6/50 in another match.
Kartikeya has played 41 T20 matches, scoring 25 runs with an average of 5.00. He has played 36 List A matches, with a highest score of 21 runs and an average of 8.23.
He is known for his left-arm spin and his strong performances in domestic cricket. In the IPL, he has taken 10 wickets in 12 matches for Mumbai Indians in the last two seasons.
Records and achievements
Kumar Kartikeya Singh has achieved a lot in his cricket career. His performances in the IPL and domestic cricket highlight his skill as a bowler.
- Indian Premier League (IPL)
- Played 12 matches
- Took 10 wickets with an average of 32.90
- Economy rate of 8.44
- Ranji Trophy (2021-2022)
- Helped Madhya Pradesh win the Ranji Trophy
- Took 4 wickets in the final against Mumbai
- Finished the season with 32 wickets, second-highest among all bowlers
- T20 Domestic Cricket
- Played 41 matches
- Took 49 wickets
- Scored 25 runs at an average of 5.00
- List A Cricket
- Played 36 matches
- Highest score of 21 runs
- Batting average of 8.23
Personal life
Kumar Kartikeya’s love for cricket began when he saw his father smiling while watching a match. This made him want to become a cricketer. At 15, he moved to Delhi to join a cricket academy. He worked at a factory near Ghaziabad to support himself. His coach, Sanjay Bhardwaj, noticed his skill and invited him to stay with him. After six years of training, Kartikeya moved to Madhya Pradesh, where he played well enough to earn a spot in the Ranji Trophy.
Family
Kartikeya was born on December 26, 1997, in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh. His father, Shyam Nath Singh, is a police officer, and his mother, Sunita Singh, is a homemaker. He has an older brother. After pursuing his dreams for nine years, Kartikeya reunited with his family in 2022.
Finance
Kartikeya’s net worth is estimated to be $300,000. His income mainly comes from IPL contracts, domestic cricket contracts, and brand deals.
House
As of 2022, he lives in Bhopal.
Scandals
In 2022, Madhya Pradesh coach Chandrakant Pandit mentioned that he had to speak sternly to Kartikeya because of his overconfidence. That same year, Kartikeya reunited with his family after being apart for nine years.
Fans
Kartikeya’s coach, Sanjay Bhardwaj, praised his skills, calling him a cricketer of the new generation. He has gained a strong fanbase, with 112k followers on Instagram.
