How Sameer Rizvi embraced Axar Patel’s ‘challenge’ and seized his moment

NEW DELHI: “Tayyar rahio, ek challenge aane wala hai”

That was Axar Patel’s message to Sameer Rizvi ahead of IPL 2026. What Rizvi did not know then was how quickly that challenge would arrive—or how decisively he would stamp his authority on it.




When it did, the 22-year-old delivered a statement.

Chasing 142 against Lucknow Super Giants, Rizvi walked in at No. 4 and produced a composed, unbeaten 70 off 47 balls, guiding Delhi Capitals to a six-wicket win. He walked into a ring of fire, with his UP teammate Mohsin Khan and the rest of the LSG pace battery making life difficult for the batters. But Rizvi weathered the early storm before settling into his comfort zone and accelerating with control.



‘No. 4 is his favourite position’

Rizvi’s comfort at the position comes as no surprise. He entered IPL 2026 on the back of consistent domestic form—491 runs in the UP T20 League, where he primarily batted at No. 4.

“I am comfortable batting at No 4. I wanted to bat at the spot and the coach had told me earlier that I would come in at No 4 and that they would back me,” he said. “He asked me to play my natural game and stay positive,” Rizvi had told reporters after the game.

Axar’s reminder ahead of DC’s season opener was a validation of the trust the management had placed in him.

As per his uncle and formative coach, Tankeeb Akhtar, Rizvi relishes batting at No. 4, with time in the middle being key to his game.

"Tujhe 4 pe batting karni hai. Tayyar rehna [You have to bat at No. 4. Be ready]. That’s what Axar Patel told him,” Akhtar tells Timesofindia.com. “He was very happy. No. 4 is his favourite batting position. When he called me, he was extremely happy and said, ‘That was amazing, mamu']”.

“Even last year, in the final match, he played a fine knock—scoring 58 runs to help Delhi win. That’s where it all started for him. Against LSG too, he played a very good knock. The only change was that he needed time at the crease, and Axar gave him that time yesterday. Once he got time to settle on the wicket, he batted really well. He was happy," he added.



’Mamu, you’ll see - I will play well this time’

Rizvi was the second-highest run-getter in the UP T20 League, averaging 61.38 and striking at 161.51. He continued his rich vein of form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 238 runs at an average of 59.50.

Back home in Meerut, his preparation for IPL 2026 was intense and methodical.

"When he is in Meerut, he bats for three hours on the centre wicket. Medium pacers, spinners, fast bowlers—everyone was used to prepare him for the IPL. He has worked extremely hard for this season. I am sure he will continue to play match-winning knocks this season. While leaving, he just said, ‘Mamu, you’ll see - I will play well this time’," says Akhtar.



'8 crore ho ya 20 lakh - cricket khelna hai bass'

Rizvi’s IPL journey has already seen sharp turns. Picked by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 8.40 crore in 2024, he struggled to convert his opportunities and managed just 51 runs in eight matches.

He was released the following season - a move that raised eyebrows and brought with it an inevitable dip in valuation. Delhi Capitals picked him up for Rs 95 lakh. That massive drop in price could have easily unsettled the youngster, but as Akhtar says, for Rizvi, it was always about playing the game, not the price tag attached to it.

"Dekhiye bura bahot lagta hai but Sameer ne kabhi dikhaya nahi wo apne shakal pe [Look, it does hurt a lot, but Sameer never showed it on his face]. Cricket comes first for him. He never talks about the price tag. He used to say whether it is Rs 8 crore or a Rs 20 lakh base price, he just wants to play cricket, no matter which IPL team it is,” says Akhtar.

In 2025, after starting in the playing XI for the initial matches, Rizvi lost his place to the likes of Abhishek Porel and Ashutosh Sharma, and eventually managed just five games the whole season - scoring 121 runs at 40.33 and striking at 153.16, including a fifty in DC’s final game.



Making an Impact

This year, though, as an impact substitute, Rizvi has made his mark with a match-winning knock in the first game itself. He will now hope for a consistent run - something Akhtar also believes is within reach.

"Mauka bahut kam mila tha usko CSK mein [He didn’t get many opportunities at CSK]. Even in the IPL now, this was only his second or third chance, and he played a very good innings," says Akhtar, adding that the CSK stint did help Rizvi evolve as a cricketer.

"He learned a lot from MS Dhoni - both his approach to the game and his thinking evolved. But when Dhoni stepped down as captain, everything changed. I had even asked him about opportunities or moving up the batting order. He said the captain is different now. He just didn’t get enough chances, that’s all," remembers Akhtar.

At DC, Rizvi seems to have found the ideal support system - a captain who trusts him and a senior pro he can lean on.

“Axar has supported him a lot. He treats him like an elder brother. He also spends time with KL Rahul. He has told him one thing: ‘Be focused on your goal,’” says Akhtar about the DC setup.

From a quiet heads-up before the season to taking on the challenge head-on, Rizvi has shown early signs that he could seize his moment in his third IPL year.
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