Fast-bowler Vivek Shelar has earned a call-up to Maharashtra's squad for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2026, a milestone the 26-year-old from Bhiwandi describes as the fulfilment of one dream — with many more still to chase. The tournament gets underway on Saturday, 15 November 2026.

ISPL Breakthrough That Changed Everything

Shelar's route to state cricket runs through the Indian Street Premier League (ISPL) Season 3, where he claimed nine wickets for the Tiigers of Kolkata, including a remarkable two hat-tricks. Although Kolkata fell short in the final against the Chennai Singams, Shelar's performances — including a blistering 145.2 kph delivery that briefly made him the talk of the tournament — were enough to draw the attention of Maharashtra's selectors.

'ISPL was very important. Because of ISPL, I came into focus. When I bowled the fastest ball in ISPL, I came into the limelight. So ISPL was very important for me,' Shelar said.

His cricketing journey dates back to 2016, when he began playing tennis-ball cricket in his village before making the leap to competitive formats. 'I started playing cricket in 2016. I started from the village itself, with the tennis ball… When I played for the first time in the ISPL last season, I was in Tiigers of Kolkata. So everything changed there,' he said.

Making the Transition from Tennis Ball to Leather

The ISPL is a tennis-ball competition, a format that differs significantly from domestic red-ball cricket. Shelar acknowledged that the transition was primarily a mental challenge, one he has been working on since 2020-21. 'Both have different preparations, but the mentality matters. I had a problem in the first year, but now it has become a habit. So I don't have any problems now,' he said.

Notably, the ISPL has increasingly served as a talent identification platform, with Shelar being among the clearest examples of a cricketer using the league as a springboard into the mainstream domestic circuit.

Injury, Recovery and Back-to-Back Hat-Tricks

Shelar's ISPL campaign was not without adversity. He suffered a hamstring injury after just the second match of the tournament and was hospitalised, travelling from Surat to Mumbai for treatment. He recovered within eight days and returned to deliver his two hat-tricks.

He credited Aksha Kamboj, Chairperson of Aspect Global and owner of the Tiigers of Kolkata, for supporting him through the rehabilitation. 'Aksha ma'am supported me. When I got injured, I went to the hospital on the second day… I credit her and Tiigers of Kolkata; because of them, I got to play the tournament again,' Shelar said.

He also acknowledged a mental battle on his return: 'I had some doubt (mentally after hamstring) while playing the first match after returning from injury. But for the team, you have to keep your thoughts aside. You have to keep the team first. It happened automatically.'

Maharashtra, Then the IPL Dream

Speaking about what the Maharashtra call-up means to him, Shelar was candid about ambition. 'As a sportsman, it is a very big achievement for me. Because playing for a state is everyone's dream. So now my dream is being fulfilled. I mean, there are still a lot of dreams left. So I am feeling good,' he said.

His immediate focus is on performing in the SMAT, with an IPL contract firmly in his sights thereafter. 'I will focus on this tournament first. After this, I have an IPL goal. Let's see what happens next,' he added.

Shelar cited Rohit Sharma and former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn as his idols, particularly drawn to Steyn's combination of 'aggression, speed, swing and everything.' With the SMAT providing his first real stage in the domestic circuit, selectors and franchise scouts alike will be watching closely.