Rajasthan Royals bought him for INR 90 Lakhs at IPL 2026 auction.
Newly-acquired Rajasthan Royals (RR) bowler Sushant Mishra has revealed how Gujarat Titans (GT) head coach Ashish Nehra helped him during his injury layoff and in shaping his mindset. Before joining RR, the Titans bought Sushant for a whopping INR 2.20 crore at the IPL 2024 auction, though he didn’t get a game.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, the left-arm pacer explained his experience working with Nehra, who remains in touch with him to know about his progress. He revealed that the GT head coach would discuss plans with him and ask him to be aggressive.
“I had a terrific time working alongside Ashish Nehra sir. Even eight-nine months after the IPL, he would regularly ask me about my injury updates, my rehab and how I was progressing. We used to sit together and watch a lot of matches. He continuously discusses plans, he makes sure that I am involved in the game even when sitting on the sidelines. He would say that as a fast bowler, you have to be aggressive. You shouldn’t look at ways to escape. As a bowler, you should always look to take wickets, come what may. You have to be aggressive 99% of the time. Attack is the best form of defence.”
As a pacer, Sushant Mishra’s understanding of the game has been the most notable aspect: he does his homework properly to know how to operate against a particular batter and adapts according to the conditions. It has helped him progress rapidly as a bowler, slowly developing into a reliable option for his domestic side, which he would want to continue for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026.
Rajasthan Royals bought Sushant Mishra for INR 90 Lakhs at the IPL 2026 auction, and he should get some matches during the season. He is among the three left-arm pacers in the RR squad, but won’t take an overseas slot like Sam Curran or Nandre Burger, which goes in his favour.
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Additionally, the Jharkhand pacer has also been in top form lately and has been among the most consistent domestic performers this season. Sushant was the joint-leading wicket-taker in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025, with 22 scalps at 17.18 runs apiece in 11 matches.
He has continued his good form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with 15 wickets at an average of 19.20 in six innings, including a best of 6/52. The most notable part of his bowling has been control and variations, which help him succeed even in the death overs; he has decent control over his yorkers.
The main speedsters in the side – Tushar Deshpande and Sandeep Sharma – can be vulnerable and injury-prone at times, and Sushant Mishra should get opportunities midway through the tournament if not from the start. His recent form is too good to keep him out of the XI for a long time, especially since he also brings the left-arm variety to the attack.
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