Jharkhand all-rounder Anukul Roy rescued his side in the run chase against Karnataka with his all-round show. After conceding just 13 runs to take two wickets, he scored an unbeaten 58-ball 95 to guide Jharkhand to a thrilling two-wicket win over Mayank Agarwal-led Karnataka in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 clash at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on November 28. After the match-winning display, Roy recalled legendary MS Dhoni’s advice to perform in domestic cricket as much as he can to get more chances to represent his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise. Batting higher up the order has helped the southpaw.
“I spoke with Dhoni bhai during the IPL. He told me that I have to perform in as many matches as I can in domestic cricket. So, that’s my focus. The more I perform here, the more chances I will get to play (in the IPL),” Roy told Sportstar.
“Earlier, I used to bat lower down the order. Now, I bat at No. 4 or 5. So, I prepared for those situations and have been doing well. The team is also backing me.”
Against Karnataka, Roy carried the run chase on his back. Apart from his 95, the highest score by a Jharkhand batter was captain Ishan Kishan's seven-ball 15. Roy batted with the lower order and the tail to get Jharkhand over the line. He hit nine fours and five sixes in his knock. This is his highest score in T20s. It is also his second half-century in the format.
Part of KKR for long time but limited chances
Roy made his IPL debut for Mumbai Indians (MI) in 2019 where he played just one game. In IPL 2022 mega auction, he was picked by KKR. He was picked by KKR in IPL 2025 mega auction as well but got to play just one game. So far, he has played just 12 IPL games. The left-arm spinner has six wickets at an average of 36.33 and conceded runs at an economy rate of 8.17 runs per over. From seven innings, he has managed to score 26 runs, with unbeaten 13 being his highest.