LUCKNOW, Sept. 14 -- Four years ago, Abhinandan Singh was playing tennis-ball cricket in Uttar Pradesh, but the right-arm pacer now shares the Royal Challengers Bengaluru dressing room with big names, including Virat Kohli.

The 29-year-old's journey has not been smooth. A product of Uttar Pradesh, he was overlooked several times by the state selectors, but continued to work on his bowling and found a platform in the Uttar Pradesh T20 League, which recently completed its fourth season.

His breakthrough came while representing Lucknow Falcons in the state league. Abhinandan impressed with his ability to bowl with discipline, generate movement and attack the stumps. In the 2024 season, he finished with 15 wickets in 10 matches, including a...