Uncapped batter Sameer Rizvi turned out to be one of the most expensive players in the IPL 2024 auction on Tuesday, 19 December. Rizvi, a middle-order batter who plays for Uttar Pradesh, was bought for a massive Rs 8.40 crore in Dubai.

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Rizvi, known in domestic cricket for his aggressive batting, spoke exclusively to India Today after Chennai Super Kings picked him up from a talent auction pool. An elated Sameer said that there were no words to describe his feelings.

“This is an unreal feeling for me. I cannot describe this in words, it is too difficult for me. I’m out of words at this moment, taking time to let it sink in. Looking forward to play for CSK,” Rizvi told Indiatoday.in in an exclusive interview.

Phones kept ringing in the background – and rightly so, as the UP batter became the most expensive uncapped player in the IPL 2024 auction – at least at the time of writing.

IPL Auction 2024: Who is Sameer Rizvi?

Speaking during the IPL mock auction on Jio Cinema, former India cricketer Abhinav Mukund revealed that he was told by an IPL scout that Rizvi is a right-handed Suresh Raina.

“One of the IPL scouts actually told me that he was the right-handed Suresh Raina. The areas that he hits against spin are similar and many teams might go after him,” Abhinav Mukund said on Jio Cinema.

Former pacer RP Singh had earlier felt that Rizvi could have been a perfect fit for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2024 as they did not have a set finisher. LSG have a lot of strength in top order, but might need more support in the lower-order. Aakash Chopra agreed with Singh and said that Rizvi had the ability to hit sixes at will.

Sameer Rizvi scored the fastest century in the inaugural edition of the UP T20 League. The young batter has an average of 49.16 in domestic T20s at a strike rate of 134.70.

“Sameer Rizvi has a different intent in his batting. He would get a lot of confidence if he gets to play for an UP team. He is a Badoni-type player but plays with a straighter bat,” Raina added about the player.