Akshat Raghuwanshi Exclusive: ‘My Mindset is to Dominate’ – Madhya Pradesh Star On IPL Learnings, Beginnings, Rohit Sharma Moment

At just 22, Akshat Raghuwanshi has swiftly emerged as one of Indian domestic cricket’s most promising middle-order batters.

Born on 15 September 2003, the Madhya Pradesh right-hander was introduced to the game by his father and quickly rose through age-group ranks, captaining the state in the Under-19 Vinoo Mankad Trophy.

He announced his arrival with a century on first-class debut in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy and played a key role in Madhya Pradesh’s title-winning campaign. Known for his elegant yet aggressive strokeplay, power-hitting, and composure under pressure, Akshat also bowls useful right-arm off-breaks.

His explosive T20 performances earned him a lucrative ₹2.20 crore deal with Lucknow Super Giants in the 2026 IPL auction. After the debut IPL season, Akshat is currently honing his skills at the Madhya Pradesh T20 League with Rewa Jaguars.

As the tournament continues, MyKhel caught up the dynamic player for an exclusive interview. Here’s what he said-

The debut IPL season

Akshat was part of the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2026 season. Although LSG had a dismal outing, the youngster got a couple of opportunities and showed glimpse of his abilities. And he says it was nothing but full of learning.

“It was a very good experience for me. There were a lot of learnings in the overall season. Because it was my first season and it was such a big platform. There were so many players, all international players, all international coaches. So I learned a lot from them, how to move the game forward and what all things I have to improve.”

The Aggressive Mindset

Akshat has a habit of scoring runs freely. In the ongoing MPL tournament, he played a superb knock of 85 runs in just 32 deliveries. And Akshat says his sole aim from the start was to dominate bowlers.

“No, my mindset from the start in cricket is that I should dominate the bowlers and the opposing team. I don’t want them to come and dominate me. My mindset is that if I am going on the ground, then I should dominate the whole ground at that time. So I try to play like that only.”

An Early Realization to become a Cricketer

Although many Indian cricketers realize cricket as their path at bout 15-16 years of their age, Akshat’s realization was early. He was already introduced to cricket by his family at the age of 4, and the player says he acknowledged cricket as his future at the age of 8 or 9.

“The support of my family has been there from the beginning. My family has supported me in playing cricket.
When I was 4 years old, they introduced me to the game. My father used to feed me with an underarm ball at home. So it was their role in my playing cricket. At that time, I had no idea what cricket was. I just used to pick up the bat and hit. Then when I was 8 or 9 years old, I thought that I have to move ahead in cricket. After that, everything started.”

Madhya Pradesh’s Cricket bloom

The last few years have been excellent for Madhya Pradesh cricket. Many players have gone on to play in the IPL from the state and in the last couple of years, Rajat Patidar has been the flagbearer with consecutive IPL titles. Akshat owes the credit to the domestic T20 league, which has been the platform for many youngsters.

“This[MP T20 League] is a very good sign for Madhya Pradesh cricket. Since the start of MPL, 8-10 cricketers have gone from our MP to IPL. This is a very big opportunity and platform for all cricketers. It will continue to be so because all the scouts come here to watch. This tournament comes live on all the good platforms. This is a very big opportunity for all the upcoming cricketers. It feels good when you go ahead and play IPL.”

Idolizing Rohit Sharma

Akshat had a moment to cherish in the IPL 2026, when he met his idol Rohit Sharma. After a match against Mumbai Indians, the duo shared a moment together as the young boy took a photo with the India stalwart. Remembering the moment, the Madhya Pradesh player talks about the exchange.

“Rohit Sharma is my cricketing idol. I like to watch his batting and the way he bats. I went to him and told him that I am a big fan. He told me that I hit a great six on the first ball. I like to watch his effortless batting. I can watch his batting for hours.”