Kartik Sharma, a 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter, was acquired by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for an incredible ₹14.20 crore during the IPL 2026 auction, creating history. This monumental bid made him the joint-most expensive uncapped player in IPL history, a title he shares with his new CSK teammate, Prashant Veer. The bid for a player who has not yet made his IPL debut highlights a high-stakes wager on explosive potential and raw talent, ushering in a new era for the team and the young Bharatpur cricket player.
Who is Kartik Sharma?
Kartik Sharma is a 19-year-old Indian professional cricketer who has swiftly risen from domestic circuits to the pinnacle of T20 franchise cricket. A right-handed wicketkeeper-batter known for his destructive power-hitting, he represents Rajasthan in domestic tournaments. His impressive achievements, especially in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his aggressive stroke-play as a finisher attracted the attention of both scouts and teams, propelled him to a multi-crore contract.
Kartik Sharma Family & Humble Beginnings
The story of Kartik Sharma’s meteoric rise is deeply personal, rooted in sacrifice and unwavering family support. His father, Manoj Sharma, a private coach who made the crucial choice to resign from his profession in order to completely support his son’s training and career, inspired him to follow his dream of becoming a cricket star despite hailing from a modest, middle-class household in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. His record-breaking auction performance is further motivated by his dedication to his family.
Kartik Sharma Career & IPL Auction 2026
Even though Sharma’s career is still in its early stages, it has achieved some impressive milestones. In the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, he made his First-Class debut with a century to herald his arrival. But what really set him apart at auction was his scorching strike rate in Twenty20 cricket.
The bidding war for him was intense. Mumbai Indians opened the bidding at ₹30 lakh, followed quickly by Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants. When the price went beyond ₹5 crore, Chennai Super Kings stepped in strongly. Sunrisers Hyderabad made a late attempt, but CSK held on to win the bid, landing the teenager for a huge sum and marking him as a key long-term prospect.
Kartik Sharma Career Statistics
The following table summarizes Kartik Sharma’s career statistics across formats, highlighting the consistent performances that justified his historic price tag:
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Centuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 8 | N/A* | N/A* | N/A | N/A |
| List A | 9 | 445 | 55.62 | 118.03 | 2 |
| T20 | 12 | 334 | 30.36 | 162.92 | 0 (2 fifties) |
Kartik Sharma: Age and Profile
Kartik Sharma is a 19-year-old cricketer, born on April 26, 2006, in Bharatpur, Rajasthan. He plays as a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. Bought for ₹14.20 crore from a base price of ₹30 lakh, he represents Rajasthan in domestic cricket. His cricketing inspirations are MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, and he is managed by JSW Sports.
FAQs About Kartik Sharma
Q: Why is Kartik Sharma’s ₹14.20 crore deal so significant?
A: The bid is groundbreaking because it ties him for the highest price ever paid for an uncapped player in the IPL. For a 19-year-old without prior IPL experience, it represents an extraordinary vote of confidence in his future potential.
Q: What specific skills earned him this massive contract?
A: His versatility as an experienced power batter and wicketkeeper was highly sought by the teams. He is an ideal modern-day finisher because of his remarkable strike rate of over 160 in Twenty20 cricket, which shows a unique ability to speed up the innings.
Q: Is he being seen as MS Dhoni’s successor at CSK?
A: Comparisons are natural since he is a wicketkeeper-batter joining MS Dhoni’s franchise, but CSK sees him mainly as a long-term investment. He is a talented youngster who will learn from senior players, and the “successor” label carries pressure that will take time to handle.
Q: What was his most notable domestic performance?
A: In the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy, he made his First-Class debut for Rajasthan and struck a century, demonstrating his skill outside of the T20 format and showed he could handle the strain of elite cricket right away.
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