Sakib Hussain’s IPL dream debut: Mother sold jewellery for spikes, INR 500-a-game - hardships shape SRH pacer’s rise

Sakib’s journey to the IPL is a story of grit and sacrifice. Born in 2004 into a modest family, he grew up facing financial hardship. His father, Ali Ahmed Hussain, a farmer, had to stop working after suffering a knee injury, and Sakib understood early on that he needed to support his family in whatever way he could. At one stage, he even aspired to join the Indian Army and would regularly go for some running at a local ground. It was there that he also picked up a cricket ball, and with his natural athleticism, he quickly took to the sport.

To make ends meet, Sakib began playing tennis-ball tournaments in nearby areas, earning around INR 500 to 1000 per match. It wasn’t much, but it helped his family get by. As he started taking bowling seriously, he realised he needed proper gear, especially spikes, to progress. With money tight at home, it seemed out of reach until his mother, Subuktara Khatoon, stepped in and sold her jewellery to buy it for him, which she revealed in a video on Kolkata Knight Riders' YouTube channel. That moment stayed with Sakib and pushed him to work harder. He kept improving steadily, and his efforts began to show. A major break came when Chennai Super Kings spotted his performances in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and brought him in as a net bowler, giving him a first taste of the IPL environment.

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Sakib spent a year at KKR

In the IPL 2024 mega auction, he went unsold the first time, but that didn’t shake him. He got on a call with his coach, Robin Singh, and admitted that bowling at 140–142 kmph wouldn’t take him far. He decided to push harder, setting himself the goal of touching 150 kmph to stand out. On the same call, Robin told him that Kolkata Knight Riders had picked him at his base price in the accelerated round, triggering celebrations back home in Gopalganj, Bihar.

He didn’t get a game during KKR’s title-winning run, though, and was released ahead of the 2025 mega auction, where he again went unsold. It was a phase that could have dented his confidence, but he kept working. Around that time, Varun Aaron, who was tracking fast bowlers for SRH, noticed him at the MRF Academy and kept a close eye on him. Sakib caught his eye again with a sharp spell against Uttar Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

SRH eventually brought him in at his base price of INR 30 lakh for IPL 2026. When the chance finally came against Rajasthan Royals, he grabbed it, finishing with 4/24 from his four overs and making sure his wait didn’t go in vain.

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