Krishnan Shrijith

Born into a humble Bengaluru household, the story of Krishnan Shrijith and his meteoric rise within India’s cricketing circles reflects his unwavering determination and natural talent. Inspired by his father’s love for the sport, the cricketer received his long-awaited maiden first-class cap for Karnataka during the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy season.

Unfortunately for Shrijith, his father passed away mere weeks before the match. Nonetheless, the Karnataka batting star honoured his father's memory by crafting a 125-ball century against Uttar Pradesh, scoring 110 runs in all from 153 deliveries with 12 regal boundaries on debut. His initial major debut for Karnataka occurred back in January 2021 through a T20 match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, followed by his List-A debut against Vidarbha in Rajkot in December 2023.

However, it was his time with the Hubli Tigers during the Maharaja T20 Trophy 2024 season where he flourished the most, as the prodigious batting talent amassed 349 runs in just 10 innings of the tournament, including two half-centuries and a century. Shrijith’s proficiency with the bat not only helped the Hubli Tigers secure a spot in the semifinals but also brought him into the limelight ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, catching the attention of the Mumbai Indians.

Listed at number 281 in the auction, Krishnan Shrijith was acquired by the Mumbai Indians management at his base price. Continuing the proud legacy of Karnataka cricketers joining IPL’s most decorated outfit, the wicketkeeper-batter expressed immense pride in linking himself with the club, as stated by him in an exclusive Mumbai Indians interview.

Roughly a month after the auction, Shrijith lit up the Vijay Hazare Trophy with a match-winning 150* off 101 balls against Mumbai, helping Karnataka chase down a massive target of 383, with his century even overshadowing the likes of Mumbai’s heavy scorers Shreyas Iyer and Shivam Dube.

(As of January 2025)