These Malayalis make their mark behind the scenes in IPL 2026

Though only a handful of Kerala players feature on the field in the Indian Premier League, Malayalis continue to build a strong presence behind the scenes across team setups.

Former Kerala and IPL player P Prashant is currently part of the player scouting team of the Kolkata Knight Riders. Alongside him, several others from the state are contributing as net bowlers and reserve players across franchises.

Former Kerala pacer K M Asif is serving as a net bowler for Kolkata this season.

Among the younger names, Kerala pacer Eden Apple Tom is part of the reserve squad of the Gujarat Titans. Jikku Bright, a mystery spinner from Thiruvananthapuram, is with the Mumbai Indians as a net bowler, having also been part of their setup last season.

Sreehari Nair, from Puthuppally in Kottayam, is currently training with the Lucknow Super Giants camp, where he continues to develop his pace bowling.

Malayali support staff are also playing key roles across franchises. Ernakulam native Gabriel Ben has been working as a throwdown specialist with the Royal Challengers Bangalore since 2020, while Jose Vaidyar, a sports masseur from Thiruvananthapuram, has been part of the Sunrisers Hyderabad setup for the past five years.

While they may not always grab headlines, these Malayalis continue to play an important role in the IPL ecosystem.