New Dlehi: Izaz Sawaria had spent nearly a decade chasing a domestic cricket debut, but nothing worked out. Heartbroken, the 20-year-old bowler turned to social media in February this year, posting videos of his bowling sessions on Instagram.
Things took an unexpected turn when England leg-spinner Adil Rashid commented on a couple of his reels. The videos soon racked up lakhs of views, his follower count jumped from just 200 to over 38,000, and before he played a single domestic game, Sawaria was listed at No. 265 in the fourth set of uncapped spinners in the IPL 2025 mini auction in Abu Dhabi.
While no franchise picked him at the auction, Punjab Kings approached him to join their setup as a net bowler.
“I still can’t wrap my head around how this happened,” Sawaria told ThePrint. “It’s only just sinking in. Everyone around me was shocked and couldn’t believe it. I am the first player to enter IPL bidding straight from social media.”
The wind of change has begun to blow for the cricketer. His mention at the auction has made headlines. Suddenly, selectors and coaches, from Rajasthan to Karnataka, are paying close attention. With the spotlight now on him, a chance to prove himself on the domestic circuit may not be far.
“From what I know, it will happen soon and once it does, I will grab the opportunity with both hands and do my best,” he said.
Sawaria’s positivity hasn’t stemmed from the recent recognition. He has hardly spared a thought for negativity. Even after facing rejection year after year, his commitment never dwindled. He largely credits his family for this.
“They told me to play without pressure, and financially also, never did I have any pressure to earn money. They trusted me. And I backed my talent and my sport,” the leg-spinner recalled.
“Now, whenever I can, I want to buy a house for them. It will be my ultimate victory.”
A different route
Sawaria is a “die-hard” fan of former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but Australian great Shane Warne is his idol. He watches the late cricketer’s bowling videos on YouTube and even incorporates his variations of leg-spin in his game.
Sawaria hails from an Air Force family. Due to his father’s posting, he grew up in Bidar, a small town in north Karnataka where he started his cricketing career. Currently, his father is posted in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, with the 27 Squadron (Jaguar).
“I joined the Vijay Cricket Club as a fast bowler in 2017, but my coaches asked me to focus on legspin,” he said, adding that he couldn’t get into the Under-15s.
Following the repeated setbacks, he decided to shift his base to Jaipur, Rajasthan, in 2022, where his family roots are.
There, Sawaria enrolled himself at the Sanskar Cricket Academy and trained under Surendra Singh Rathore, who has also coached Under-19 World Cup winner Kamlesh Nagarkoti.
But domestic cricket always appeared to be a distant dream. Instead of giving up, Sawaria decided to take a different route. Everyday, he would shoot a reel in the nets and upload on Instagram.
Typically, for beginners, understanding the algorithm of Instagram and curating content takes time. But Sawaria’s second reel touched two lakh views.
“I didn’t post reels with the idea of making it big. The thought occurred and I just acted upon it. And, I would do it regularly,” he said.
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One notification, one thumbs-up
One notification changed the game for him in March. England leg-spinner Adil Rashid’s “very good” comment on one of his reels blew up his following and viewership. It was the first video of him that garnered millions of views. But he dismissed it as a one-off comment.
Soon, Rashid dropped a series of thumbs-up emojis on a couple of his videos, which today boast over 30 and 50 million views.
“I spoke to him briefly and he complimented my bowling. His words gave me confidence,” Sawaria said.
Clocking views in millions became an everyday thing for him soon. These videos also reached IPL teams. First, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) contacted him, followed by Punjab Kings, who called him to Lucknow for trials.
They liked his game, and after document verification, his IPL auction form was filled.
From Sawaria’s lens, his unconventional rise offers hope to countless aspiring cricketers. In many ways, he has set a new precedent. His story isn’t just about social media fame. In fact, it is a reminder that in the digital age, genuine talent rarely stays unnoticed for long. It could well inspire a new generation to believe there is more than one way to be seen.
“This is just the beginning. I want to play for India and not like a one-match wonder. I want to play for a long time,” he said.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)