5 min readUpdated: Apr 15, 2026 11:18 PM IST When Rasikh Salam Dar speared a yorker through Avesh Khan’s stumps at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Wednesday, it didn’t just end the Lucknow Super Giants’ innings. It capped a four-wicket spell—and, in a way, brought his journey back into focus. From Ashmuji in Kulgam to an IPL night under lights, nothing about his rise has been straightforward. If anything, it has been about survival. He grew up in a schoolteacher’s home in south Kashmir, where cricket was never an easy pursuit. There were days when even bus fare was uncertain, let alone equipment. His father, Abdul Salam, had once told The Indian Express, “Rasikh has seen troubled times but what could I have done. I never gave them any reason and my children too have never asked me much.” He added, “Many people have helped. He was rejected during selection trials earlier but I had the belief that one day he will definitely play.” ALSO READ | Kulgam to Mumbai: Irfan Pathan’s prodigy Rasikh Salam takes …