Virat Kohli will be my favorite wicket to come into the IPL: LSG’s newest recruit Naman Tiwari [Exclusive]

Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, Tiwari’s confidence, along with his performances across age group and domestic cricket, has positioned him as one of the most exciting uncapped prospects in the LSG set-up. Tiwari stated that contributing at every stage of the game remains his priority but when asked about his favorite wicket, Kohli tops the list.

“My idea is that at every stage, be it bowling, batting or fielding, I have to contribute to my team. But if you ask me my favorite wicket, I would say Virat Kohli,” he said in an exclusive chat with CricTracker.

Naman Tiwari will fly to Durban along with other LSG bowlers

Tiwari also recalled a brief encounter with Kohli during a net session. The incident took place when both players finished their respective training sessions and rushed back to their hotels.

“Nothing special, he left for the hotel. I had just finished my bowling session. He had come for the practice session. We had a match the next day. It’s difficult to meet on the day of the match. But the practice session, as soon as he was about to leave, my net session was over. I was also very tired. He was also in a hurry. I just clicked a photo and said hello. Then he left, and I also left,” he added.

The 20-year-old was picked by Lucknow Super Giants, who insured him for INR 1 crore. The left-arm pacer entered the auction at a base price of INR 30 lakh and attracted 15 bids. Delhi Capitals showed early interest before withdrawing, while LSG took on Rajasthan Royals to quickly secure the uncapped Indian. He was one of the many uncapped players to cross the INR 1 crore mark.

Meanwhile, he first hit the headlines at the 2024 Under-19 World Cup, where he took 12 wickets in six matches at an economy rate of 5.17, finishing as India’s second-highest wicket-taker. More recently, Tiwari impressed in the 2025 Uttar Pradesh Premier League while representing Noida Super Kings. He claimed 19 wickets in 10 matches at an economy of 8.20 to finish among the tournament’s leading wicket-takers.

It is worth noting that LSG plan to send him, along with Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan, to South Africa to train with sister franchise Durban Super Giants during the SA20 competition. Under the guidance of experienced coaches such as Lance Klusener, Tom Moody and Bharat Arun.

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