RCB quick Rasikh targets India spot after strong start to IPL 2026

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Rasikh Salam Dar says his ultimate aim is to represent the national team and he is open to doing so in any format. The young pacer, who has taken five wickets in three matches in IPL 2026, including a standout four-wicket haul, spoke about how his ambitions have evolved over time.

“I didn’t start playing cricket thinking about the IPL or India. I had no idea where this journey would take me. But now, my goal is to play for India across formats, in any format,” Rasikh said in a release by the franchise on Monday.

Advertisement

He also reflected on a challenging outing earlier this season at the Wankhede Stadium against Mumbai Indians, where he battled severe cramps but still managed to complete his spell and return figures of 1-23.

“When I came on to bowl, I got a cramp, something I had never experienced before. After almost every ball, I was cramping. I was falling over while delivering, and I couldn’t even bend properly. My only thought was that I had to complete the over. If I could do that, the team would be in a better position,” he said.

Rasikh’s determination has not gone unnoticed. RCB assistant coach Omkar Salvi praised both his character and his growth as a cricketer, especially considering his background.

“There is a character in him. Staying in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir, that hard life, travelling long hours to go and play cricket, you can see the way he has grown as a player.

“The first thing I saw was that he was competitive. At the same time, he was creative in his approach. Apart from swinging the ball both ways, he had a slower one and a different perspective on how to approach T20 cricket,” he said.

Rasikh also spoke about the early days of his career, when there was uncertainty about whether cricket could be a viable profession. He credited his mother for backing him through those times.

“When I started playing professionally, my family and relatives used to say that no one can take cricket as a profession because very few people were playing from our region. But my mother always believed in me. Since childhood, she used to say that my son will become a cricketer.”

His journey has not been straightforward. He spoke about missing out in his first Under-19 trials, and how a meeting with former India cricketer Irfan Pathan proved to be a turning point.

“When I first went for the Under-19 trials, I didn’t even know the process properly. I wasn’t selected that year. The next year, when I went again, Irfan Pathan was there.

“After watching me bowl a few deliveries, he stopped me and started guiding me. That’s when I felt that maybe he saw something in me. I got a back injury after playing two matches. Then I got injured again during recovery. At that time, I realised I shouldn’t rush. I had to follow the process, no matter how long it took,” he recollected.

After being picked by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) earlier in his career, Rasikh had to deal with injuries and a two-year break from the game. Despite those setbacks, he continued to work on his skills.

RCB invested in him at the mega auction, signing him for Rs 6 crore, and he has since been making the most of the opportunity. Even during the 2025 title-winning season, when he did not get many chances, Rasikh focused on learning from experienced players in the squad.

“Working with players like Bhuvneshwar Kumar, I used to ask a lot of questions, why he bowled a certain delivery at a certain time. I just wanted to learn.”

Salvi also highlighted Rasikh’s attitude behind the scenes, noting his willingness to keep improving.

“He always kept working hard for himself. He was always trying to learn from every game he watched while sitting out. And then he had his own opinions, which we used to discuss later after the game during practice. With Rasikh, he has the ability to move the ball both ways,” he said.