Brijesh Sharma

Brijesh Sharma is a 27-year-old right-arm medium pacer and useful lower-order batter from Udhampur, Jammu & Kashmir, who was signed by Rajasthan Royals for ₹30 lakh at the IPL 2026 auction. His selection is one of the most heartwarming stories of the season; the son of a laborer, Brijesh overcame significant financial hardships and a lack of local cricketing infrastructure to fulfill his dream of joining the IPL. He first caught the eye of the Royals' scouts through his consistent performances for the Sobisco Smashers Malda in the Bengal Pro T20 League, where he proved to be a reliable wicket-taking option.

A disciplined bowler with the ability to extract movement in the early overs, Brijesh enters the 2026 season with a growing reputation in the domestic T20 circuit. His breakout performance came in the Bengal Pro T20 league, where he claimed 11 wickets in 7 matches, highlighted by a clinical spell of 3/32 against the Rashmi Medinipur Wizards. Known for his accuracy and tactical maturity, he recently made headlines as the first player from his district to earn an IPL contract, sparking celebrations across Jammu & Kashmir. Within the Rajasthan Royals setup, Brijesh is seen as a high-value domestic pace-bowling backup who can provide crucial breakthroughs during the powerplay or middle overs.