SMAT 2025-26: Anukul Roy’s all-round brilliance powers Jharkhand’s fiery run to the final of the domestic T20 tournament.
Anukul Roy has never been one to chase the spotlight, but the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2025-26 has ensured that the spotlight has found him anyway. As Jharkhand powered their way into the final, it was Roy’s all-round excellence that consistently set them apart. His career has been built on patience, self-improvement and an unwavering focus on his craft. The left-hander now stands on the brink of a title clash against Haryana, scheduled for December 18 at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune, carrying with him the weight and promise of a remarkable season.
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Anukul’s critical contributions helped Jharkhand sail through to the Final
Roy’s numbers underline just how influential he has been. He is only the second player in SMAT history, after Harshal Patel, to complete the double of 250+ runs and 15+ wickets in a single season, a statistic that captures both his consistency and match-winning impact. Yet, as with most of Roy’s career, the numbers tell only part of the story.
One of the defining knocks of Jharkhand’s campaign came against Karnataka in Ahmedabad, where Roy influenced the game in both innings. He first made his mark with the ball, returning impressive figures of two for 13 from three overs at an economy of just 4.33, effectively applying the brakes during a crucial phase of Karnataka’s innings. He then capped the effort with a commanding display in the chase, hammering an unbeaten 95 off 58 balls, an innings that featured nine fours and five sixes at a strike rate of 163.79. It was a knock built on authority rather than recklessness, calculated aggression underpinned by assured shot selection.
Beyond the headline act, Roy’s bowling became Jharkhand’s control mechanism through the tournament. Against Tripura, he chipped in with two wickets while maintaining a tight line, before producing a three-wicket spell against Saurashtra, breaking the backbone of their middle order. He followed it up with another impactful outing versus Uttarakhand, where his variations forced batters into errors, and then delivered a disciplined three-wicket performance against Rajasthan, once again striking at key moments rather than chasing wickets recklessly. His consistency continued against Andhra Pradesh, where he picked up two wickets while conceding just 30 runs, underlining his ability to contain and attack in equal measure.
Anukul Roy’s value was just as evident in the Super League, where his contributions often came under pressure rather than in comfort. Against Punjab, with Jharkhand needing firepower, he compiled a crucial 37 runs off 17 balls at a strike rate of 217.64, accelerating the innings before the finishers took over. Two days later, against Madhya Pradesh, Roy added a vital 29 runs in Pune – an innings that did not grab headlines but proved decisive in pushing Jharkhand to a competitive position in a tight contest.
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Why Kolkata Knight Riders should be paying very close attention?
What makes Anukul Roy such a compelling T20 all-rounder is his sense of balance. With the bat, he understands tempo – when to absorb pressure and when to attack. With the ball, his left-arm orthodox spin thrives on control rather than excessive turn, built around subtle changes of pace and an intelligent reading of batters. Add to that his sharp fielding and awareness, and Roy offers a complete package suitable for modern T20 cricket.
Despite his growing influence, Roy’s approach has remained unchanged. He is not a new name in Indian cricket, having been part of the Mumbai Indians squad before settling at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but he has always chosen substance over spectacle. Improvement, not attention, has remained his guiding principle.
The exit of Venkatesh Iyer may help KKR down the road, as KKR now has the opportunity to see how Anukul Roy fills the void left behind by Iyer. Roy possesses the same all-round ability that Iyer had in his ability to bat, but also has different skills that offer KKR several possibilities to fit him into their lineup as a strong performer. Roy has a great ability to control the spin of the ball while batting during the middle overs, as well as offer KKR a reliable anchor at the end of each innings. Unlike teams that rely heavily on hitting for maximum power production from a hitter, Roy’s statistics from the SMAT indicate he should be given an even larger opportunity to help create a team environment where he can showcase his additional strengths.
As Jharkhand prepare for the final showdown of SMAT 2025-26 against Haryana in Pune, Roy has personified what this tournament has represented for Jharkhand – being adaptive, responsible and successful while causing as little disruption as possible.
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