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Cricket PlayersSon of Air Force officer uses Instagram reels to storm into IPL auction: 'CSK called, PBKS invited me'
Izaz Sawariya's unconventional journey to the IPL began with social media. With family support and coaching, he transitioned from a fast bowler to a legspinner.
The next time you see a reel of an unrecognised cricketer on your Instagram feed, put in some extra effort to remember the name, as it might help you join the dots during an IPL Auction.
A few months ago, Izaz Sawariya’s mornings began to change. Before stretching or thinking about training, the 20-year-old legspinner would reach for his phone, half-expecting a new notification. Ever since England spinner Adil Rashid started responding to his Instagram reels, checking social media had become a daily ritual — one that has now carried him all the way to the final list for the IPL 2026 auction.
Sawariya’s name appears at No. 265 in the uncapped spinners’ section for the auction in Abu Dhabi. In itself, that listing tells an unusual story. He has not represented a state side, age-group team or any recognised league. Yet, his route to the IPL has been paved by short videos filmed after practice sessions and uploaded with little expectation.
Growing up in Bidar, in North Karnataka, cricket shared space with a life shaped by frequent relocations. His father serves in the Indian Air Force and is currently posted in Gorakhpur with the 27th Squadron (Jaguar). “Because of his postings, I grew up in Bidar,” Sawariya told ESPNCricinfo. He joined Vijay Cricket Club in 2017, starting out as a fast bowler before coaches suggested he switch to legspin — a decision that would eventually define his identity.
Despite years of effort, opportunities remained scarce. He failed to break into Karnataka’s Under-15 setup and, after the pandemic, made a difficult call to leave. “I felt it would be very tough to break through there,” he said. In 2022, he moved to Jaipur, returning to his family’s roots in Rajasthan, hoping a fresh start might unlock doors that had stayed shut.
The reality in Jaipur was sobering. Living in a paying-guest accommodation, Sawariya trained at the Sanskar Cricket Academy under Surendra Singh Rathore, who has previously coached Kamlesh Nagarkoti. “The first two years were very hard,” he admitted. “I was part of the district setup, but I didn’t get chances to play. Even last year, I wasn’t given opportunities.”
That sense of stagnation forced him to rethink what progress could look like. Instagram became an outlet, almost by accident. “I thought of posting my reels,” he said. After every practice session, he would record his bowling — a stock legbreak, a quicker one, the occasional variation — and upload it. “One reel after practice, almost daily. That became my routine.”
For a while, nothing dramatic happened. A few hundred views, modest engagement. Then Adil Rashid noticed. “He started commenting on my reels,” Sawariya said. “That’s when I felt I really had something.” Rashid’s encouragement, exchanged through brief messages, had a powerful effect. “He told me I was very good and complimented my bowling. That gave me a lot of confidence.”
The momentum snowballed. Views climbed into five figures, followers surged — at one point by hundreds within minutes — and familiar names from the cricketing world began to appear. Sunil Joshi, then Punjab Kings’ bowling coach, reached out. Soon after, Chennai Super Kings made contact. “We spoke a couple of times. A scout called me,” Sawariya said.
Punjab Kings followed up with trials in Lucknow. “I impressed them, they liked me,” he said. The paperwork was completed soon after, and his name was entered into the IPL auction register — a journey that had begun not with a scorecard, but with a phone camera.
Sawariya understands how unconventional his path has been. “No one has gone like this before,” he said. “I think I might be the first player to go from social media to the IPL auction.” He now sees aspiring cricketers copying his format online, something he views with quiet pride. “It feels good that I’ve started a trend.”
Through the uncertainty, family support has been constant. He credits his father and elder sister for standing by him financially, and his coach for sharpening his skills. “Surendra Singh Rathore sir has helped me a lot with my technique, my legspin, my variations,” he said.
A Rajasthan boy at heart, Sawariya looks up to Ravi Bishnoi and harbours a soft corner for Chennai Super Kings and MS Dhoni. Still, his ambitions are grounded. His days remain structured around early-morning practice, gym sessions and repetition. And his dream is simple. “I just want to build a house for my parents with my own money,” he said.
