Who is Dev Chaudhary? DPL batter’s unusual style goes viral
22-year-old managed only 16 runs from 26 deliveries across his first two innings
The Delhi Premier League (DPL) has come under scrutiny after relatively unfamiliar batter Dev Chaudhary attracted significant attention for reasons away from his performances.
Chaudhary, a 22-year-old batter associated with the New Delhi Tigers, has become a subject of social-media discussion after videos of his unconventional batting and fielding techniques went viral. His unusual approach, limited publicly available senior-level record and modest returns in the tournament have prompted questions from some fans about how he secured his place in the playing XI.
Much of the controversy has centred on Chaudhary’s selection for the New Delhi Tigers. While some reports claimed that he was not part of the DPL 2026 auction, others suggested that the franchise picked him for Rs100,000.
No evidence
There is, however, relatively little publicly documented information about Chaudhary’s cricketing career before the DPL. Some reports have linked him to a DDCA Under-19 preliminary trial document from 2021, in which he was listed as an all-rounder. The document reportedly described him as a middle-order batter who bowled right-arm seam.
The lack of substantial publicly available senior-level records has fuelled further debate on social media.
During DPL 2026, Chaudhary made his debut as a opener against the South Delhi Superstarz but was dismissed for a two-ball duck. His second opportunity came against the West Delhi Lions on August 19, when he scored 16 runs off 24 balls, including three boundaries.
As a result, Chaudhary managed only 16 runs from 26 deliveries across his first two innings before being left out of the playing XI for the Tigers’ third match.
His modest returns, combined with the absence of a substantial publicly available record, intensified the criticism surrounding him. His unusual batting stance became a particular talking point, while a video circulating online also appeared to show him struggling to complete routine catches during a practice drill.
However, there is currently no confirmed evidence that Chaudhary was involved in any form of selection fraud. The term ‘fraud’ has been used by some sections of social media, but there has been no official confirmation from either the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) or the New Delhi Tigers regarding any wrongdoing.
Addressing questions about his unusual batting technique, Chaudhary defended his approach and said he has always held the bat that way.
“It doesn’t matter how you hold the bat; I’ve always held it the way I do, and it has always worked for me,” he told Unfiltered Cricket Launda in an interview.
