Saurabh Tiwary is an Indian first-class cricketer known primarily as a left-handed middle-order batsman. He came to national attention as a member of the India Under-19 squad that won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2008 in Malaysia, and went on to play domestic cricket for Jharkhand and several franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
| Full name | Saurabh Tiwary |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 30 December 1989 |
| Place of birth | Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India |
| Batting style | Left-handed |
| Bowling style | Right-arm off break |
| Role | Middle-order batsman |
| Domestic team | Jharkhand |
| IPL teams | Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiant, Mumbai Indians (return) |
| National team | India (limited overs) |
Tiwary was born in Jamshedpur and developed his cricket within the Jharkhand state system, the same setup that produced India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He came up through age-group cricket and was identified early as a powerful left-handed stroke-maker, drawing comparisons in style with Yuvraj Singh.
Tiwary was a key middle-order batsman in the India Under-19 side led by Virat Kohli that won the 2008 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup held in Malaysia. His performances in the tournament made him a sought-after prospect ahead of the inaugural IPL season.
Tiwary made his first-class debut for Jharkhand in the Ranji Trophy and became a long-serving batsman for the side, also representing the team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (List A) and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20). He has captained Jharkhand in domestic competitions and contributed several centuries across formats during his career.
Tiwary was picked by Mumbai Indians for the inaugural IPL season in 2008. He had a particularly strong IPL season in 2010 with Mumbai Indians, finishing as one of the team's leading run-scorers as they reached the final. Subsequent IPL stints included Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, Rising Pune Supergiant, and a return to Mumbai Indians, with whom he was part of title-winning squads.
On the back of his 2010 IPL season, Tiwary was called up to the senior India side for limited-overs cricket. He made his One Day International debut for India in 2010 and also played a Twenty20 International. His international appearances were limited, and he did not establish a regular place in the national side, though he remained a prominent figure on the domestic circuit.
Tiwary is a left-handed batsman known for his timing through the on-side and the ability to clear the ropes against pace and spin. He bats predominantly in the middle order and bowls occasional right-arm off breaks.
Tiwary is regarded as one of the most prominent cricketers produced by Jharkhand after M. S. Dhoni and Varun Aaron. His emergence highlighted the success of the BCCI's age-group structure in the late 2000s and the role of the IPL in providing a platform for young Indian talent.