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When flights were being disrupted across the nation recently Jharkhand leg-spinner Amit Kumar found himself caught in the chaos. Just after completing the league phase of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy he had been invited to showcase his talent at a trial with Kavya Marans Sunrisers Hyderabad only to have his journey halted by a cancelled flight. For what price did Kavya Marans SRH acquire Amit Kumar? At the moment it seemed like a golden opportunity had slipped through his fingers. Little did Amit realize that SRH had been keeping a close eye on him for some time. The missed trial did not affect their interest and shortly after they confirmed their confidence by acquiring him for Rs  30 lakh at the IPL 2026 mini auction. Amit has long been a familiar face among Ranchis practice squads Amit has long been a familiar face among Ranchis practice squads often called upon whenever international matches visit the city. His sharp leg-spin has drawn praise from seasoned players like Keshav Maharaj Glenn Maxwell and Pravin Tambe. His IPL signing now marks a major milestone turning years of local recognition into a national spotlight. Amits opportunity might never have arrived During the auction SRH pushed their bid for Ravi Bishnoi up to Rs 7 crore but were unable to go any higher. Their only other leg-spinner on the roster Zeeshan Ansari had already crafted a compelling narrative in IPL 2025 after years away from the spotlight. With their spin attack needing reinforcement SRH were on the lookout for fresh talent. Had Bishnoi joined the squad Amits opportunity might never have arrived but fortune was clearly on his side. This moment now gives Amit the platform to showcase his skills on one of crickets biggest stages. My name came very late in the auction Amit opened up to ESPNcricinfo. I was waiting for it to come earlier but when it finally did I turned off the live streaming. Then my room-mate Shubh Sharma came running in shouting and the calls started pouring in. He hugged me tightly. After that I dont remember much for a while. The path hasnt been easy but I know everyone who reaches this level goes through something similar. My father never broke down in front of me but when we spoke on a video call his voice was choked. I just wanted to hug him. How was Amit Kumars cricket journey? Amits cricket journey took off after he relocated from a farming family in Hamirpur Bihar to Ranchi in neighbouring Jharkhand. Like countless young Indians he was inspired to pursue the sport after India’s 2011 ODI World Cup victory. He enrolled in a local cricket academy while also taking on various small jobs to support his training helping groundsmen with tasks like laying mats and preparing pitches for district-level matches earning around Rs 200 a day. These early struggles not only honed his work ethic but also strengthened his determination to make it to the top levels of the game. What did MS Dhoni say to Amit Kumar? After 2019 Amit started getting fewer opportunities and felt increasingly frustrated. During this period Nadeem became an important mentor for him. Amit also got some tips from MS Dhoni a player he had often bowled to while practicing in Ranchi. Amit said Dhoni told him Everyone must have told you that you are a good bowler and that is true. You just need to remember what your strength is who you are and the process that brought you here. If you keep following that process everything will fall into place.