KS Rathore IPL 2025: Rajasthan Royals' mystery man who faced just five balls in his debut season. The 22-year-old wicket-keeper batter from Jaipur walked in against Sunrisers Hyderabad on 23 March 2025, blocked four balls and left the fifth one alone, yet the buzz around the right-hander refuses to die. Drafted for his 800-plus runs in the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at a strike-rate of 172, Rathore’s IPL ledger currently shows 0 runs off 5 balls, 0 fours, 0 sixes and an unbeaten highest score of 0*. Those zeros, however, tell only half the story. Behind the numbers is a fearless top-order dasher who hammered 14 sixes in the domestic T20 season and smashed four 50-plus scores while opening for Rajasthan in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara has already earmarked Rathore as a “finisher-explosive” for the 2026 mega-auction, hinting that the youngster will be groomed as Jos Buttler’s long-term opening partner. Rathore’s glovework adds another layer of intrigue; he pouched 17 dismissals in the latest Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the most by any keeper in the competition. With Royals set to play seven home games at the batting-friendly Sawai Mansingh Stadium next year, fantasy managers and data scouts alike are circling 27 March 2026 – Rathore’s probable first home appearance – as the day the “zero” story finally flips into a whirlwind of boundaries.

Shikhar Dhawan IPL Story: 17 seasons, 6,769 runs, 51 half-centuries, 768 fours, 152 sixes, 127 strike rate, 2 centuries, 106* highest, 221 innings, 5,324 balls faced.

Note: This overview is partially generated using AI and is based on statistical data. Please verify with official sources for complete accuracy.