'I felt very bad'- Shivam Mavi reflects on going unsold in IPL 2025 mega auction [Exclusive]

Young pacer Shivam Mavi initially made headlines at the 2018 Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand when he consistently clocked over 140kph, helping India clinch the title. That tournament opened the gates for his IPL career, with Kolkata Knight Riders signing him for INR 3 crore in 2018.

His career since then, however, has been far from smooth. Injuries have affected his progress, forcing him to miss entire seasons. KKR backed him again in 2022 for INR 7.25 crore, but his performances were underwhelming. Gujarat Titans picked him for IPL 2023, though he did not feature in a single game. Lucknow Super Giants signed him in 2024, but a rib injury saw him miss another season on the sidelines. Despite the setbacks, Mavi has also donned India’s colors in T20Is, making a dream debut against Sri Lanka in 2023 with figures of 4/22.

In an exclusive conversation with CricTracker, Mavi broke his silence on going unsold at the IPL 2025 auction. He also reflected on his stint with Gujarat and credited Mohammed Shami’s guidance. He also revealed receiving motivational words from KL Rahul during his injury phase at LSG.

Excerpts

You had registered for the IPL 2025 mega auction but went unsold. What were your thoughts at that time?

Obviously, I felt bad after going unsold. I had a great time on the field before the Auction. I think franchises felt that I’ve been having consecutive injury breaks. They might have kept in mind that I might not play in all 14 games of the season.

You were part of the Gujarat Titans franchise in IPL 2023. What was the best piece of advice you received from Mohammed Shami?

I always used to talk with Shami bhai about hitting the right and good areas. He used to help me a lot in that aspect. He used to advise me to bowl a good-length ball, which is very tough for any batter to play. He helped me a lot in that aspect in practice sessions.

You got ruled out of IPL 2024 while representing Lucknow Super Giants. Have you received any message from the captain, KL Rahul?

I was supposed to play the second game of the season. He saw me in the practice session and confirmed my place for the second game. Unfortunately, I got ruled out of the season before the second match. 

Having seen Prithvi Shaw’s talent up close, many feel he could have achieved much more by now. From your perspective, what factors do you think distracted him from fully realizing his potential?

If he keeps his work ethic up, we can see him back on track in one year. 

Who has been your biggest inspiration in cricket growing up?

Jasprit Bumrah and Dale Steyn. When I played against MI in the IPL, Bumrah advised me on how to stay one step ahead of the batter. If the batter predicts the bowler in T20s, things will get tougher. He also talked about the field set-up and we’ve to have two balls according to the field set-up and trick the batter. His advice helped me a lot to stay unpredictable as a bowler.

Shivam, you’ve faced multiple injuries in your early career. How do you stay motivated during tough recovery phases?

My ultimate aim is to play for the country. Whenever I get injured, I don’t dwell too much on cricket; instead, I focus on my rehab and spend quality time with friends. During those times, I prefer talking about things outside of cricket, because constant discussions about the game can allow negativity to creep in. Rehab periods can be boring, but my mind is always set on returning to the field as soon as possible.