Izaz Sawaria is a 20-year-old leg spinner who shot to fame through social media. The spinner posted reels and shorts on Instagram and YouTube of his net bowling sessions, which eventually went viral. And on Tuesday, in Abu Dhabi, Sawariya may hear his name read out at the IPL 2026 auction.
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Ever since England leg-spinner Adil Rashid began commenting on his videos earlier this year, Sawariya has felt the weight of belief shift.
The validation from one of the world’s finest leg-spinners was more than encouragement, and it was confirmation that his craft belonged on a bigger stage.
Who is Izaz Sawariya?
Sawariya grew up in Bidar, a modest town in North Karnataka, in an Air Force household. His father currently serves with the 27th Squadron in Gorakhpur.
He joined Vijay Cricket Club in 2017 as a fast bowler, but coaches turned him into a leg-spinner. The transition was not immediately rewarding. Despite years of effort, his selection at the Under-15 level never arrived, and frustration crept in.
By 2022, in the aftermath of the pandemic, Sawariya made a decisive call to leave Karnataka and head to Jaipur, to reconnect with his family roots in Rajasthan in search of opportunity.
He lived in paying-guest accommodation and got himself enrolled at Sanskar Cricket Academy under Surendra Singh Rathore. Rathore has a keen eye for young talent and had earlier mentored Kamlesh Nagarkoti.
After every practice session, Swariya would film a short reel and upload it, repeating the routine almost every day. It took time to rack up the views, but consistency helped him hit the jackpot. And when Rashid’s comments began appearing beneath his videos, his social media fame exploded.
"We haven't spoken properly, but we've exchanged messages on Instagram. He told me I was very good and complimented my bowling. That gave me a lot of confidence. After that, I started posting more, and the views really went up," Izaz told in an interview with Cricinfo.
By a stroke of luck, Sunil Joshi, Punjab Kings’ bowling coach, and talent spotters from Chennai Super Kings came across his videos and calls came in for trials.
"Chennai Super Kings contacted me," he said. "We spoke a couple of times. A scout called me," he says. "Sunil Joshi sir saw my reel and asked for my number and then Punjab Kings called me for trials in Lucknow. I impressed them, they liked me, and after document verification, they filled my form for the IPL auction."
Izaz Sawariya is a Dhoni fan
Sawariya is listed at No. 265 in the final set of uncapped spinners. And if CSK and PBKS do go into a bidding war for the player, his fortune might turn on Tuesday. However, his heart lies with the Men in Yellow.
"I've supported CSK since childhood," he revealed. I'm a big MS Dhoni fan. If I get a chance, I would love to go to CSK, but as a player, I want to perform well for any team."
How to watch IPL 2026 mini-auction in India
The IPL mini-auction will be broadcast on the Star Sports network channels. Whereas, it will be live-streamed on Jio Hotstar's web and app.
| Time | 2:30 pm (IST) |
| Channel | Star Sports network |
| Live Streaming | Jio Hotstar |
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- Glenn Maxwell to Faf du Plessis: Big names missing from the IPL 2026 mini-auction
- Full list of players registered for Indian Premier League mini-auction
- IPL 2026 Auction: Date, Players List, Rules & Mini-Auction Preview
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