Manvanth Kumar plays cricket with freedom and flair. He rarely tucks his shirt in, is loose-limbed, bowls and fields with frantic energy, and loves the big hits.
“He is a stroke-maker, and my message to him is clear — express yourself. The kind of strength and reach he has, he can score those big 100s. “I always wanted to build a career in Bengaluru. I have no distractions now. Cricket is the only thing on my mind.”
Against Saurashtra recently, in only his second First Class match, the 22-year-old conjured up an awe-inspiring 135 (214b, 11×4, 6×6) after coming in at No. 9, with the score at 187 for seven.
“He’s one of few players in the current crop who can make it big,” said Vinay. Manvanth Kumar of Karnataka in action against Saurashtra during the Ranji Trophy Elite cricket match at the Aluru Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, October 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN “I never wanted to be in a comfort zone,” Manvanth said.
Karnataka collected just one point from the match, and has a lowly two from its opening two Ranji Trophy fixtures, but Manvanth’s emergence — 223 runs in four innings — has been a breath of fresh air. Walked in at 194/8. Walked out with an incredible 1️⃣3️⃣5️⃣ 🎥 Relive 22-year-old Manvanth Kumar’s maiden FC ton in just his second game 👏 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/6BeWjtc1gQ #RanjiTrophy | @mflone_ https://t.co/3J4Qaa0P5R Manvanth Kumar of Karnataka in action against Saurashtra during the Ranji Trophy Elite cricket match at the Aluru Cricket Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday, October 18, 2026. | Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN