IMAGE: Rasikh Salam Dar: Stepping up when it matters. Photograph: BCCI

Key Points

• Rasikh Salam Dar finished as the leading wicket-taker among uncapped players in IPL 2026.
• His school teacher father wanted his son to join the Indian Army. But Rasikh had cricket in his head and he found a way to hold on to it without letting go of his father's trust.
• What made Rasikh dangerous in IPL 2026 was not raw pace but he brought was something rarer in the T20 format: Genuine variation executed with discipline.

When Yash Dayal was sidelined ahead of IPL 2026, Royal Challengers Bengaluru needed someone to fill the gap.

Rasikh Salam Dar got the call. By the time the final ended on Sunday, May 31, 2026, the 26 year old from Kulgam, Kashmir, had just become one of the most impactful bowlers this season.

From the very first game he played, it was evident that this was not a player content to fill a slot.

Rasikh Salam Dar delivered one of the standout spells of IPL 2026, claiming 4/24 against Lucknow Super Giants at the M Chinnaswamy stadium. His bowling dismantled the middle and lower order, restricting LSG to 146. RCB won that match by five wickets.

He was not the loudest presence in the RCB dressing room but whenever his captain needed someone reliable, Rasikh was there -- delivering.

Rasikh had outperformed expectations at nearly every turn, quietly accumulating wickets while the big names around him got plenty of attention.

Rasikh Salam Dar's Early Challenges and Rise

Rasikh Salam Dar is from Kulgam in south Kashmir -- . There were no cricket academies near his home. His father, a school teacher, had a different plan entirely. He wanted his son to join the Indian Army. But Rasikh had cricket in his head and he found a way to hold on to it without letting go of his father's trust. He told his father he was going for army fitness drills. He was going to train for cricket.

IPL talent scouts spotted him during Jammu and Kashmir domestic games. Mumbai Indians picked him up for Rs 20 lakhs (Rs 2 million) in 2019. He made his IPL debut at just 17. But a two-year ban over an age fraud issue sent him back to Kashmir. It could have been the end of his career.

Navigating Through IPL Franchises

Mumbai Indians gave him his first opportunity, then in 2022, Kolkata Knight Riders signed him, though opportunities remained scarce.

Delhi Capitals came next in 2024 but again opportunities were scarce. And then, ahead of the 2025 season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru went hard for him at the auction -- paying Rs 6 crore (Rs 60 million) for a bowler many others had overlooked.

Although he played just two matches and claimed just one wicket, RCB retained him heading into IPL 2026.

The Bowling Craft Behind Rasikh's Success

What made Rasikh dangerous in IPL 2026 was not raw pace but he brought was something rarer in the T20 format: Genuine variation executed with discipline. He can swing the ball both ways. He has developed a sharp Yorker and his back-of-the-hand slower delivery became one of the most effective balls in the tournament. He was, in the truest sense, a thinking bowler.

In a season where batters were consistently feasting on anything predictable, Rasikh made himself unpredictable. He changed angles, lengths and pace.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar, one of the most experienced swing bowlers, was his bowling partner for much of the season and rather than being overshadowed, Rasikh complemented him. The two formed a genuine partnership that gave RCB's attack a rhythm it might otherwise have lacked.

Alongside Bhuvneshwar and Josh Hazlewood, Rasikh became the backbone of RCB's bowling unit.

Rasikh's Decisive Performance in the IPL 2026 Final

The IPL 2026 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Rasikh Salam Dar walked out to bowl and played his best cricket of the season.

His spell in the final: 3 wickets for 27 runs in 4 overs. On a ground where runs flow easily, those are remarkable numbers. He picked up Nishant Sindhu's wicket at a crucial juncture, took out Rahul Tewatia when GT were looking to accelerate and removed Rashid Khan -- one of the most dangerous lower-order hitters in the world -- to strangle GT's innings. Each wicket came at a stage where RCB desperately needed it.

When the final over of Gujarat's innings was done, they had been restricted to 155 for 8. Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Josh Hazlewood both took 2 wickets apiece, meanwhile Rasikh he took 3.

RCB chased down the target, winning by five wickets. The IPL 2026 title was theirs. And Rasikh Salam Dar had played a decisive role in every step of the journey to it.

Across the full tournament, Rasikh finished with 19 wickets in 12 matches and an economy of 9.4. His best figures were 4 for 24. He finished as the leading wicket-taker among uncapped players in the entire competition. He also outperformed Josh Hazlewood (15 wickets in 13 matches) -- an Australian pace legend and one of the most respected T20 bowlers in the world -- in terms of both wicket tally and economy rate.

Recognition for an Underrated Talent

Even in Kashmir, Rasikh Da is underrated. While names like Abdul Samad, Umran Malik and Aqib Nabi regularly grab headlines, Rasikh has quietly gone about his work without attracting the same level of attention.

Maybe that's because his game isn't built on flashy moments.

But cricket has a way of rewarding consistency. Throughout IPL 2026, Rasikh kept stepping up for RCB whenever he was needed.

Now, Rasikh Dar is finally starting to get the recognition his performances have long deserved.