Who is Rasikh Salam?

Mumbai Indians picked Rasikh Salam for a base price of INR 20 lakh © BCCI

Mumbai Indians began IPL 2019 with an unknown entity - also the franchise's youngest IPL debutant - at the bowling crease first up after Rohit Sharma decided to bowl first against Delhi Capitals at the Wankhede. It was a move that elicited a tweet in appreciation from the official account of the football club that belongs to the region of the country that he hails from.


Real Kashmir FC Real Kashmir FC
@Realkashmirfc Follow We are delighted that local boy Rasikh Salam makes his debut @IPL debut for @mipaltan. Come on lad the snow leopards are roaring for you. Make us all proud!!! He’s opening the bowling yay!!!!
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Who is Rasikh Salam?

He's a 17-year-old skiddy right-arm fast bowler with the ability to swing the ball at pace. He's also the third player from Jammu & Kashmir to get an IPL contract - after Parvez Rasool and Manzoor Dar - and only the second after Rasool to get into the playing XI. He hails from Ashmuji village in southern part of Kashmir, which is often said to be affected by curfew and power cuts.

What happened at the auction?

Mumbai Indians picked Rasikh Salam for a base price of INR 20 lakh, adding to their fastbowling reserves of Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell McClenaghan, Jason Beherendorff, Barinder Sran, Adam Milne (ruled out due to injury) and Lasith Malinga (uncertainty over availability).

What's on his highlights reel?

A four-wicket YouTube video has done the rounds a lot on the internet. It came at trials in Srinagar for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. That effort involved a hat-trick that included two deliveries viciously swinging in and knocking out the stumps. He was also very impressive in the 2018-19 U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy, picking up 19 wickets in five matches. This excellent performance also included a fine six-wicket haul for 39 runs.

Who first spotted him?

Irfan Pathan - captain-cum-mentor of Jammu and Kashmir in the 2018-19 season. In an interview to FirstPost, Salam said that the former India pacer was impressed with him during a talent hunt where several pacers from the region had turned up. Pathan is said to taken him to J&K coach Milip Mewada.