Madhya Pradesh batter Akshat Raghuwanshi became the latest uncapped crorepati in the IPL 2026 auction, getting signed by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for Rs. 2.2 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad also pushed the price up to Rs. 2 crore.
He is a young right-handed batter from Madhya Pradesh who emerged as a promising talent during the 2021–22 Ranji Trophy season. Born in Gwalior, he rose quickly through the age-group ranks after starting cricket at a very young age under his father’s guidance.
Raghuwanshi, 22, made an immediate impact in first-class cricket, scoring a century on debut against Meghalaya and following it up with a half-century in his second match. He also captained Madhya Pradesh’s Under-19 side in the Vinoo Mankad Trophy, underlining his leadership
potential alongside his batting promise.
Considered technically sound and mature for his age, Raghuwanshi has played only seven official T20s, but is viewed by scouts as a potential future IPL breakout to the tune of Priyansh Arya. He turned heads with a rapid 105 off 45 balls in MP’s local T20 league against the Bhopal Leopards and scored 239 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 177.
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“At 21, I haven’t seen a more talented player. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Big things are waiting for him in the future,” Venkatesh Iyer said of him, as quoted by ESPN.
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Chandrakant Pandit, the former Kolkata Knight Riders coach and a domestic circuit legend, spotted his talent early.
“I had seen him during a U-19 match in Madhya Pradesh. He was 17 years old and it was a practice game. I was umpiring in that match. I had heard about him, that he was a good player, so I wanted to see him too. The first ball struck his pads while I was the umpire. Mein not out diya, woh out tha. (I called it not out, but it was out),” Pandit told Sportstar.
“He went on to score 165. And I was impressed instantly, so we discussed with the selection committee, and I told them this was the time to draft him onto the next level. The courage he has shown at this level was exactly what I told in the post-match chat with the team. We have to learn to show the courage of this 18-year-old boy. He was never under pressure,” Pandit remarked.
