Indian Cricket’s Therapeutic Hands: How Rajiv Kumar and his village provided 50 masseurs to Indian Cricket | Cricket news
New Delhi: In 2002, when Rajeev Kumar When he arrived in Delhi, his only goal was to earn a steady income. He earned a diploma in massage therapy from Jodhpur University, took up his first job, and earned just Rs 100 a month. Nearly a quarter of a century later, he has traveled the world with some of the greatest cricketers of his generation. But the journey was not easy at all. Before becoming one of the most trusted members of Indian cricket’s support staff, Rajiv spent years traveling on crowded Delhi buses, walking miles to save money and wondering if his dream would ever become a reality.“When I first came to Delhi, everything was confusing,” Rajeev tells TimesofIndia.com from Southampton, where he works with Southern Brave.“I traveled by bus, walked long distances, and suffered for three to four years. At that time, I never imagined that one day I would work with… Indian cricket team And traveling around the world.”Those early years tested every ounce of his resolve.
After coming to Delhi, I traveled by bus, walked long distances and suffered for three to four years. At that time, I never imagined that one day I would work with the Indian cricket team and travel the world
Rajeev Kumar
Rajeev Kumar with Rohit Sharma after India’s European Champions Trophy win in 2025. (Special arrangement)
He did not have a mobile phone. Eventually, someone bought him a Nokia 1100 because he couldn’t afford one himself. His first income was only 100 rupees. Stable work remained elusive for about five years, but he refused to give up.Dr Chaudhary introduced him to Ashish Nehra in 2004, who used to come to a clinic in Greater Kailash for massage sessions. He opened the doors to the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) for Rajeev, who then spent nearly a decade with Delhi’s Ranji Trophy side, quietly earning a reputation for his work ethic and professionalism.When the Indian Premier League (IPL) was launched in 2008, he joined the Delhi Daredevils from the inaugural season. Stints in ISL, Pro Kabaddi and hockey followed before the biggest break of his career arrived in 2016, when he became part of the Indian team during the T20 World Cup.
About 50 boys and girls from my village have entered this profession. Some work in the Indian Premier League, some with Ranji teams, some in the Indian team, some in yoga and ayurveda
Rajeev Kumar
What once seemed impossible became a reality. Today, Rajeev measures success differently.“About 50 boys and girls from my village have entered this profession,” he says proudly. “Some work in the Indian Premier League, some with Ranji teams, some in the Indian team, some in yoga and ayurveda.”For someone who has struggled to prove himself, becoming an inspiration in his homeland means more than any medal.
Rajeev Kumar with Anushka Sharma and Virat Kohli after India’s win in the 2025 Champions Trophy. (Special arrangement)
“When people from my village meet me and say they are proud, it is wonderful. They ask me to help more young people enter this profession. If I can create opportunities for them, it is a blessing.”The man who opened every doorIf Rajeev credits one cricketer with turning his career around, it is Ashish Nehra.Their association began while Nohra was recovering from injuries. Rajeev would spend hours treating his left arm, often on his balcony because Nehra preferred sessions in the sun.
Whatever I am today, Ashish Nehra has played the biggest role. It opened every important door in my career. “No matter who I am today, Ashish Nehra played the biggest role. He opened every important door in my career,” he says.
Rajeev Kumar
“When he came back to the Indian team, he never forgot me,” says Rajeev. “During the 2009 IPL in South Africa, he helped me get opportunities and later recommended me for other assignments. I will always be grateful.”This loyalty became the foundation of his career that eventually took him to the Indians dressing room. It was Nehra who introduced Rajiv to the former India captain MS Dhoni In 2015 and within a year, Rajeev was in the dressing room of the Indian men’s team.
Indian cricket team after watching a movie in the theatre. (special arrangement)
Trusted by heroesOver the next eight years, Rajiv worked alongside four Indian captains and witnessed some defining moments in modern Indian cricket. Each leader left a different impression.MS Dhoni’s calm immediately calmed his nerves as a newcomer. The former captain would regularly invite him over for breakfast or dinner and make sure every member of the support team felt valued.
Take the stress Rajeev bhai. Just chill and come on. If you need anything, my room is open. Mahi bhai took me out for dinner that day
Rajeev Kumar in his first conversation with MS Dhoni
“On my first day, he checked on me. He said, ‘Don’t be nervous, Rajeev bhai. Just relax and work. If you need anything, my room is open.” Mahi bhai took me to dinner that day,” recalls Mahi bhai.Virat Kohli He impressed him with her relentless obsession.“I have known Virat since his days in Delhi,” says Rajeev. “His transformation has been incredible. He has completely changed his lifestyle and inspired everyone around him.”
Holi celebration in Indian dressing room (special arrangement)
He still remembers Kohli playing through personal grief after his father’s death, a memory that continues to define the batsman’s mental strength in Rajiv’s eyes.“What a knockout blow that day was,” he says. “All of us in the dressing room knew we were witnessing something special, and this was just the beginning of an amazing career.”“Under Virat, the Indian team’s fitness went to a higher level. He pushed everyone. Fitness was everything to him. He was tireless. He worked hard. I was surprised when he became a vegetarian, because the Virat I knew loved his food. I just want to take my hat off to the great man. What he did for Indian cricket is something I cannot explain in words,” he adds.
I was surprised when he became a vegetarian, because the Virat I knew loved his food.
Rajeev Kumar on Virat Kohli
Then he came Rohit Sharmawhose leadership style revolved around empathy.“He talks to every member of the support team, asks about our families and always makes everyone feel included. Even in this year’s Indian Premier League, he met and the first question he asked was about my family.”Then the young captain came Shubman Gillwhose imposing form helped India draw the five-match Test series in England in 2025. It was also Rajiv’s last series with the Indian team.
Rajeev Kumar with Shubman Gill (Special Arrangement)
“A very nice boy with a very good head on his shoulders. He has got the best out of Mahi bhai, Virat and Rohit. He has only shown glimpses of his excellent leadership skills. He will take Indian cricket to greater heights,” says Rajiv.For Rajiv, those qualities were as important as tactical acumen.More than just cricketLife inside the Indian dressing room was built on relationships that extended beyond borders.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rajeev’s younger son fell seriously ill. What followed remains one of the most emotional chapters of his career.
The entire Indian team has stood by me during the Covid crisis. Players kept calling me to ask about my family, and even offered me financial support. I can never forget that.
Rajeev Kumar
“The entire Indian team stood by me,” he says. “Players kept calling me to ask about my family and even offered me financial support. “I can never forget that.”These gestures reinforced what he already believed about the group he had served for years.Heartbreak before redemptionRajeev has witnessed cricket’s harshest moments from the closest quarters. He remembers the devastation that followed India’s semi-final exit in the 2016 T20 World Cup. But nothing compares to the silence inside the dressing room after the 2023 ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad.“Everyone was emotional. It was my first spell with the team and I felt very bad. Everyone’s face was gone (Everyone was very frustrated),” he recalls.
Then that night in Ahmedabad. I want to erase the memories of November 19th.
Rajeev Kumar
“Then that night in Ahmedabad. Agar mera baas chali toh mai November 19 ko hata do (I want to erase the memories of November 19). The dressing room was sad.”He says Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit after the defeat offered words of encouragement when the team needed them most.After twelve months, salvation came.As South Africa approaches the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rajeev admits there is little he can do but pray.“When they needed about 30 runs near the end, I was sitting quietly near the boundary praying for a miracle. Oh my God, not again (Please God not again).”
Rajeev Kumar (far right) holds the Indian flag after Barbados won the 2024 T20 World Cup. (special arrangement)
The miracle has arrived. India became world champions.“For me, it felt like years of hard work had finally been rewarded.”Familiar faces on the massage tableAway from the spotlight, the locker room had its lighter moments as well.Mohammed Siraj, Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav were among the regular visitors seeking treatment, but Kuldeep stood out.
We used to joke that Kuldeep deserved an award because he probably received the most massages.
Rajeev Kumar
“We used to joke that Kuldeep deserved an award because he probably got the most massages,” says Rajeev with a laugh.His association with Rishabh Pant It was just as special. When Pant met with a terrible car accident, Rajeev rushed to the Hanuman temple with his family to pray.
Rajeev Kumar with Rishabh Pant (special arrangement)
“Given the accident, we feared the worst,” he says. He added, “Fortunately, he has recovered. He is a wonderful person and always helps others.”A trip worth celebratingRajeev KumarA story not limited to working alongside cricket’s biggest stars.The film is about a young man from a small village who arrives in Delhi with next to nothing, endures years of uncertainty, embraces education when sports science was still settling in Indian cricket, and quietly becomes one of the most trusted figures behind the scenes.
Rajeev Kumar with KL Rahul (special arrangement)
His hands helped players recover, but his own journey was built on resilience, humility and gratitude.From earning Rs 100 to celebrating a World Cup victory on the grandest stage, Rajeev Kumar’s greatest achievement may not be the medals he has collected along the way. It proves that even the quietest trips can leave a higher impact.
