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Praveen Kumar (Cricketer) Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth2 October 1986

Age38 Years

BirthplaceLaprana village, Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh

ProfessionCricketer (Bowler)

NationalityIndian

Marital statusMarried

SpouseSapna Choudhary

FamilySon - Ranvijay Singh; Daughter - Saya; Father - Sakat Singh Khaiwal; Mother - Murti Devi Khaiwal; Brother - Raj Khaiwal

Praveen Kumar (Cricketer) Biography

Praveen Kumar is a former Indian fast-medium bowler from Laprana village, Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh. Renowned for his ability to swing the ball and to

Early life and background

Praveen Kumar was born on 2 October 1986 in Laprana village in Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh. He grew up in Meerut and attended Meerut Public School. From a young age he played cricket in the streets and neighbourhoods of Meerut, often travelling long distances by bicycle or public bus to take part in local matches. By his mid-teens he was training at Victoria Park Cricket Academy and later moved into an Uttar Pradesh sports hostel in 2001. A local coach, Sanjay Rastogi, helped introduce him to mainstream club cricket and by 2005 he had broken into first-class cricket.

Career

Praveen Kumar made his mark as a right-arm medium pace bowler known for swinging the ball and for maintaining a disciplined line and length. He represented Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket from 2005 through 2018 and emerged early as a leading performer. In the 2005–06 Ranji Trophy season, which was Uttar Pradesh’s championship-winning campaign, he finished with significant contributions both with the ball and the bat, and he amassed a large haul of wickets in his first two seasons of first-class cricket.

He made his ODI debut for India on 18 November 2007 against Pakistan in Jaipur, his T20 debut on 1 February 2008 against Australia in Melbourne, and his Test debut on 20–23 June 2011 versus the West Indies at Kingston, where he took five wickets in the match. Between 2008 and 2010 he established himself as India’s primary opening bowler in One Day Internationals, forming a pace trio with Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra.

Praveen also featured prominently in limited-overs domestic leagues. He played for Royal Challengers Bangalore from 2008 to 2010, where he recorded a hat-trick in the Indian Premier League and also struck one of the longest sixes measured in the tournament at the time. His IPL career later included spells with Kings XI Punjab (2011–2013), Mumbai Indians (2014, as a replacement), Sunrisers Hyderabad (bought in the 2015 auction), and Gujarat Lions (2016–2017). In the 2015 IPL auction Sunrisers Hyderabad acquired him for Rs. 220 lakhs.

In international cricket he finished with 68 ODIs and six Tests, taking a total of 104 international wickets. He was part of India’s squad systems around the 2011 World Cup period but missed selection in certain tournaments because of illness or injury. He announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in October 2018.

Public profile

Praveen was popularly nicknamed PK and was sometimes called the "Swing King" for his ability to move the ball. Teammates and observers described him as free-spirited in nature, and respected figures in the game praised the subtlety of his bowling. Outside the field he has been open about personal struggles: after retiring he experienced serious mental-health challenges and at one point sought therapy and treatment, including meditation, to cope with depression.

He has been involved in some controversies that received media attention, including complaints and accusations stemming from incidents with neighbours and others. He has also spoken publicly about having partial vision impairment in his right eye during his playing days, a fact he said only a few people close to him knew about.

Personal life

Praveen Kumar married Sapna Choudhary, a national-level shooting player, on 18 November 2010. The couple have two children, a son named Ranvijay Singh and a daughter named Saya. His parents are Sakat Singh Khaiwal, who served as a police head constable, and Murti Devi Khaiwal. He has a brother named Raj Khaiwal. Praveen’s listed physical attributes include a height of approximately 1.80 m (5 feet 11 inches) with black hair and black eyes. He bats right-handed and wore a variety of jersey numbers during his career for India and different IPL franchises.

Later roles and community work

After retiring he took on a role as a bowling coach for Uttar Pradesh’s under-23 side in 2019, although that appointment was short-lived. He has said he has supported education and marriages for young people and provided financial help to several aspiring cricketers.

Latest updates

Praveen entered politics in 2016 by joining the Samajwadi Party prior to the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections. He remains known for the swing and accuracy that defined his best years with India and for being candid about the challenges he faced after cricket.
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Recent Work

Bowling coach, Uttar Pradesh U-23

Appointed bowling coach for the under-23 Uttar Pradesh team in 2019 (short-lived stint).

2019
Retired from all forms of cricket

Announced retirement from professional cricket.

2018
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Career Highlights

  1. Represented India in ODIs, Tests and T20s; 68 ODIs and six Tests with 104 international wickets.
  2. Key member of India’s pace attack between 2009 and 2010 alongside Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra.
  3. Standout Ranji Trophy debut season (2005–06) for Uttar Pradesh with significant all-round contributions.
  4. Recorded an IPL hat-trick for Royal Challengers Bangalore and hit one of the longest sixes in IPL history.
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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Praveen Kumar (Cricketer) born?

2 October 1986

What is Praveen Kumar (Cricketer) known for?

Cricketer (Bowler)

What is Praveen Kumar (Cricketer)’s marital status?

Married

Who is Praveen Kumar (Cricketer) married to?

Sapna Choudhary