Name: Karn Sharma
Karn Vinod Sharma, is an Indian cricketer who represents the Railways cricket team in domestic cricket, playing as an all-rounder – a left-hand batsman and a leg-break bowler. Sharma's introduction to domestic cricket came in the 2007/08 Ranji Trophy season, where he made his first-class debut against Jammu and Kashmir at the Karnail Singh Stadium. In that match, he showcased his batting prowess, scoring 120 runs off 232 balls, an innings laced with 17 boundaries, as Railways emerged victorious by an innings and 88 runs.
His performances played a pivotal role in Railways' Ranji Trophy triumphs in the 2016-17 and 2019-20 seasons, where he emerged as one of the leading wicket-takers for his team.
In July 2018, Sharma was named in the India Green squad for the 2018–19 Duleep Trophy. During the 2018–19 Vijay Hazare Trophy, he was the leading wicket-taker for Andhra, claiming 12 dismissals in eight matches.
Sharma's international debut came in 2014, when he represented India in the Twenty20 International (T20I) format against England on September 7. His ability to extract turn and bounce from the pitch, coupled with his economical bowling, soon made him a valuable asset in the shortest format of the game.
Sharma's most memorable T20I performance came against Australia in 2016, where he picked up four crucial wickets, playing a pivotal role in India's victory. His figures of 4/23 in that match remain his best in T20I cricket.
Sharma's ODI debut for India came on November 13, 2014, against Sri Lanka. However, he had a forgettable outing with the ball and did not get an opportunity to bat.
Within a month of his ODI debut, Sharma made his Test debut on December 9, 2014, against Australia in Adelaide.
Sharma's journey in the IPL has been a rollercoaster ride, representing various franchises over the years. He first featured for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2009 before joining Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013.
During his stint with Sunrisers Hyderabad, Sharma showcased his potential, beating batsmen with his spin and fortifying an already strong bowling attack with a decent economy rate. He contributed with the bat as well, scoring an unbeaten 39 in a crucial match against Chennai Super Kings.
In the 2014 IPL auctions, Sharma was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹3.75 crore, becoming the highest-paid uncapped Indian player that year. He was retained by the franchise for the 2015 and 2016 seasons, playing a crucial role in their 2016 IPL triumph.
Sharma's IPL journey continued with Mumbai Indians in 2017, where he won his second IPL title. He bowled a valuable spell in the final, conceding only 18 runs in four overs and bowling 12 dot balls.
In 2018, Sharma was bought by Chennai Super Kings for ₹5 crores, and he went on to win his third consecutive IPL title, making him the first player to win the IPL with three different teams in three consecutive years.
After stints with various franchises, Sharma was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore in the 2022 IPL auction.
Apart from his IPL exploits, Sharma has represented various teams in international and franchise T20 leagues around the world. He played for Dhaka Dynamites in the Bangladesh Premier League and St Lucia Zouks in the Caribbean Premier League.
