Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Kolkata Knight Riders' rising star, is proving his worth this IPL season, both with the bat and with the story of how sheer grit shaped his journey. Snapped up again by KKR for ₹3 crore in the IPL 2024 auction, the 18-year-old batter has emerged as a reliable middle-order presence, recently smashing 44 runs against Delhi Capitals and partnering Rinku Singh in a crucial 61-run stand that powered KKR to a total of 204.

But Raghuvanshi’s path to the IPL spotlight wasn’t ordinary. Behind his success lies a brutal, unconventional fitness regimen — climbing 30-storey buildings on foot — a routine designed by Team India’s assistant coach and his mentor, Abhishek Nayar. This climb-or-repeat drill not only built his endurance but became the turning point in his transformation from a promising youngster to a top-tier athlete.

In IPL 2024 so far, Raghuvanshi has scored 241 runs in 9 matches, averaging 40 with a strike rate of 146 — a marked improvement over last season’s average of 23. His stats include one half-century, 24 boundaries, and 8 sixes, reflecting his evolution into a dependable and explosive batter.

Raghuvanshi’s story is a reminder that behind every rising star lies a mountain climbed — quite literally, in his case.