“When I started from my district, nobody had really made it,” Rasikh told TOI. “People had doubts. Families were unsure whether cricket could really become a career.”
Now, things are different. “There are four or five players from Kashmir in the IPL now, and that is a huge achievement,” said Rasikh, who bowled a maiden and took two wickets against the Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1.
At 26, he represents that shift. As a right-arm pacer, he built his IPL career across franchises before finding a stable home with Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
After a modest 2024 season with Delhi Capitals, RCB invested heavily — Rs 6 crore — in Rasikh at the mega auction and retained him. He has repaid their faith. With Yash Dayal out, Rasikh is a quiet hero in RCB’s march to the final.
For Rasikh, the journey is about more than numbers — it’s also about inspiring belief at home. “Now, youngsters see us playing and feel they can do it,” he said. “Earlier, families worried: what if cricket doesn’t work out?”
His own family carried similar concerns. “My father (Abdul Salam Dar) is a teacher. Naturally, he used to think about my studies and career.”
His mother, however, never wavered. “She always believed,” he said with a smile. “She never asked me to stop playing.”
That support carried him through uncertain early years, when cricket was joy, not structure. “I started with tennis-ball cricket. My cousin Nadeem Dar took me everywhere for matches. We were just enjoying ourselves, not thinking professionally,” he recalled.
Transitioning from village to elite cricket was not easy. Facilities in Kashmir were limited. “If you’re passionate and give your hundred percent, you’ll get something back,” Rasikh said. “Limited facilities make things hard, but nothing is impossible.”
What does the IPL’s glitz and pressure do to a cricketer’s mindset from the valley? Rasikh, who switched allegiance from J&K to Baroda last season, tries to stay grounded. “The IPL brings attention and criticism. One good performance, people praise you. One bad day, things change quickly.”
Inside the RCB setup, Rasikh learns from seniors like Bhuvneshwar and Hazlewood. “We discuss bowling plans and situations. I try to learn constantly.”
Despite his maturity, one ambition remains. “I just want to play for India,” Rasikh stated. “I don’t mind the colour of the ball. I just want to play for India.”
That statement captures Rasikh best — uncomplicated, grounded, quietly ambitious.
Away from cricket, he still prefers the simplicity of home. Time with friends. Volleyball. Tennis-ball cricket with boys from the neighbourhood. “When I go back home, I still enjoy playing with them.”
The surroundings may have changed dramatically — from Kashmir’s streets to the IPL spotlight — but the relationship with the game remains untouched.