Overview

Kartik Sharma is an Indian professional cricketer, known as a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter. Born on April 26, 2006, in Rajasthan, India, the 19-year-old rose to prominence through strong performances in domestic cricket and became one of the most expensive uncapped players in IPL history.

Early Life and Background

Kartik Sharma hails from a middle-class family in Rajasthan. His father, Manoj Sharma (also known as Manoj Kumar in some reports), was an aspiring cricketer whose career was cut short by injury, leading him to focus on fulfilling his dream through his son. The family faced significant financial hardships to support Kartik's cricket ambitions, including selling farmland and jewellery, and at times enduring hunger during tours. Kartik began playing cricket on the streets at a young age before joining a local academy in Agra run by Lokendra Singh Chahar (father of Indian cricketer Deepak Chahar). He credits his power-hitting ability to training with his father and later took up wicketkeeping on Deepak Chahar's suggestion around four years ago.

Domestic Career

Kartik represents Rajasthan in domestic cricket and has shown promise across formats:

• First-class cricket: Debuted in the 2024–25 Ranji Trophy against Uttarakhand, scoring a century on debut. He has played around 8–11 matches, amassing approximately 479 runs at an average of 43.54, including 3 centuries.
• List A cricket: Made an impact in the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy, emerging as Rajasthan's leading run-scorer with 445 runs in 9 matches, including centuries, at a strike rate around 118.
• T20 cricket: Has scored around 334 runs in 12 matches at a strike rate of approximately 163–164, known for his six-hitting (28 sixes) and finishing abilities.

He is also associated with teams like Udaipur Lakecity Warriors and is managed by JSW Sports, which signed him as a rising talent alongside athletes like Neeraj Chopra.

IPL Career

In the IPL 2026 mega-auction held in Abu Dhabi, Kartik was acquired by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a record-breaking ₹14.20 crore, making him the joint-most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL history (tied with Prashant Veer). His base price was ₹30 lakh, sparking intense bidding wars involving teams like Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. CSK coach Stephen Fleming noted that the franchise had been tracking him for some time, highlighting his potential as a middle-order finisher and wicketkeeper, potentially as a long-term successor in the lineup.

Playing Style

Kartik is celebrated as a "six-hitting machine" with exceptional clean hitting, maturity, and fearlessness. His format-agnostic aggressive style has drawn comparisons to players like Virender Sehwag.