'This is Sachin, this is Rahul Dravid. Watch them': How Karnataka all-rounder Manvanth Kumar fell in love with cricket

Manvanth Kumar, a 22-year-old Karnataka all-rounder, has quickly established himself as a grounded and self-aware cricketer who understands his game well. Early in his career, he showcased his talent during a match against Saurashtra in the Ranji Trophy, scoring 135 runs at No. 9 after his team was in a tough position. Kumar attributes his success to Karnataka coach Vinay Kumar, who encouraged him to express himself during his innings.

Prior to this, Kumar had a successful run in age-group cricket, including a five-wicket haul in the final of the 2023-24 Col. C.K. Nayudu Trophy and 22 wickets in the 2023 Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 title. Hailing from a cricket-loving family, Kumar's father S. Lakshmi Kumar encouraged him and his brother to take up the sport, with Manvanth's elder brother serving as a mentor and coach.

Kumar's cricketing journey began at Mysore University Colleges Sports Council (MUCSC) under Mansoor Ahmed, with subsequent coaching from Balachander and Ravindra at Rao Bahadur Narasappa Cricket Club (RBNCC). Former Karnataka batter and coach Yere Goud played a significant role in Kumar's development by recognizing his potential during his first year in the Karnataka Premier League, where Kumar was picked at the auction.

Kumar's bowling, which averages around 135 kph, requires careful workload management and recovery, especially when switching between red-ball and white-ball cricket formats.