'I have been bowling at a good pace and in good areas as well' - Shivam Mavi hopes to make much-awaited IPL comeback in 2026

Shivam Mavi burst onto the scene with some sensational performances for India during the U-19 World Cup in 2018. He was subsequently roped in by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and spent five seasons before moving to the Gujarat Titans. The right-arm speedster also made his international debut in January 2023 and played six T20Is for India.

However, he hasn't played an IPL game since May 2022. Since then, he has been benched or sidelined due to injuries. He went unsold in the IPL 2025 mega-auction as teams were apprehensive about his struggles with injuries at the time. Mavi worked on his bowling action and made some adjustments, which he feels have helped him stay injury-free. The 27-year-old has featured regularly in domestic competitions for Uttar Pradesh of late and is hoping to get picked in the upcoming IPL 2026 mini-auction on Tuesday.

"It's been three years since I played. I didn't get a chance for two years. Then one year, unfortunately, I got injured when I came in the first match. So after that, I mean, I don't remember, honestly. A long time indeed," Mavi said during an interaction with The Times of India.

Mavi explained how he works on his fitness whenever he gets time, and this has helped him stay away from minor niggles in recent months. He also mentioned that he has been bowling well in domestic and local games.

"At first, I was wondering why I was getting injured. So I worked on my action in the off-season. I fixed the side flexion because of which I was getting injured. You will see that since last year, I have been able to play regularly because I have worked a lot on my action. Whenever I get a 10 15 day window, I work on it further so that I can prolong my career and stay away from minor niggles," Mavi said.

"I play club matches in my free time. No matter how much you do nets, playing matches is important whether it is domestic or anywhere else. Matches are matches for me. Maybe the competition level is a little low, but every over counts. Playing local matches also helps execute what I am working on in the nets. When I played the domestic season, I was feeling very good and comfortable. I was bowling at a good pace and in good areas as well," he added.

There is no compromise on speed: Mavi

Mavi was asked whether he would be seen breaching the 140 kph mark. The Noida-born said that he was bowling in excess of 140 kph during the Uttar Pradesh T20 League earlier this year, and there is no reason why he wouldn't be able to do it in the future.

Yes. This year, in all the matches I've played, I've been bowling around 140 142. In the UPT20 league, I was clocking 140, 142, 143. It depends on recovery. If I don't recover well, the body isn't as fast. But this year, I am bowling quicker than last year. There is no compromise on speed. Yes, it is increasing."