Karan Sharma Biography: Age, Career, UP Captaincy and Latest News

Karan Sharma is trending in India because of Uttar Pradesh’s opening Ranji Trophy match of the season. He is a domestic regular who has captained UP, played in the IPL and recently been handed a bigger leadership role. This article covers who he is and what he has done. Note that several Indian cricketers share this name, so the first section explains which Karan Sharma this is.

Which Karan Sharma Is This?

This article is about the right-handed UP all-rounder born in 1998. He should not be confused with Karn Sharma, the leg-spinner born in 1987 in Meerut, who announced his retirement from Indian and domestic cricket on 23 August 2026. Karn is a different player, with one Test, two ODIs and one T20I for India, and four IPL titles. Wikipediayardbarker

Karan Sharma at a Glance

• Full name: Karan Sunny Sharma Wikipedia
• Born: 31 October 1998 in Delhi Wikipedia
• Age: 27 (he turns 28 on 31 October)
• Role: right-handed batter and right-arm off-break bowler, an all-rounder Wikipedia
• Teams: Uttar Pradesh since 2021 and, earlier, Lucknow Super Giants (2022-23) WikipediaWikipedia

Debuts for Uttar Pradesh

He was born in Delhi but plays for Uttar Pradesh. His debut dates are all recorded:

• T20 debut on 10 January 2021 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy Wikipedia
• List A debut on 20 February 2021 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy Wikipedia
• First-class debut on 17 February 2022 in the Ranji Trophy Wikipedia

A profile says that on his first-class debut he represented UP against Vidarbha in Sultanpur and led the team, which is an unusual way to begin a red-ball career. soapcentral

IPL with Lucknow Super Giants

In February 2022, he was bought by Lucknow Super Giants at the IPL auction. The profile says he was signed for his base price of ₹20 lakh, and he made his IPL debut against Gujarat Titans in 2022. His IPL time was brief. The LSG page shows three matches and 16 runs, with a highest score of 9 against CSK. He was released before the IPL 2024 auction. Karan Sharma (cricketer, born 1998) +4

Domestic Record and the 208 Against Assam

Domestic cricket is where Karan has done his best work. Sportskeeda’s profile lists his career-best score of 208 against Assam in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, which was his maiden double century, in Kanpur. An early LSG profile shows how he was seen when signed: 12 first-class matches, 433 runs, 21 wickets, a highest score of 116, and in T20s 18 matches with 544 runs at an average of 38.85. Those numbers are from before his bigger seasons, so they are only an early snapshot. Karan Sharma +2

UPPL 2025: Leading Run-Scorer

In August 2025 he drew attention in the UP Premier League. Captaining Kashi Rudras, he scored 71 off 44 balls against Lucknow Falcons, his third fifty-plus score of the tournament, and had 294 runs in five innings at an average of 73.5 and a strike rate of 165.2, the leading run-scorer. That included an unbeaten 107. Reports at the time said it could help him attract an IPL buyer, though I could not find any news of a new IPL contract. former lsg star in explosive form in up premier league 2025 ipl 2026 return imminent karan sharma 8252025 1756098079048 +2

Leadership at Uttar Pradesh

Karan has been a captain for UP in several formats. Wikipedia’s UP squad table, updated in February 2026, listed him as first-class captain. For 2026-27, the UP association introduced split captaincy: Aryan Juyal leads the Ranji Trophy side, and Karan Sharma captains the team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. That means he leads the white-ball sides this season, while the red-ball side has a new coach, Gyanendra Pandey. Uttar Pradesh cricket team +2

Latest News: UP vs Bihar at Rajgir

The 2026-27 Ranji Trophy began on 11 October, and UP’s opening match was against Bihar at the newly built Rajgir International Stadium. Bihar won the toss and chose to field. Karan came in with UP in trouble. He was out lbw to Suraj Kashyap for 13 off 30 balls, with UP at 85 for 3 after 33.2 overs. Rinku Singh and Madhav Kaushik then both made centuries, taking UP to 287 for 3 at the close of the first day. Uttar Pradesh make THIS big change ahead of domestic season, Aryan Juyal, Karan Sharma to lead different teams +3

Before the match, Cricinfo’s preview listed him among UP’s bowlers to watch, with 6 wickets in 6 matches at an economy rate of 3.45. That shows his off-spin is a real option for UP in long-format cricket. ESPN

What Next for Karan Sharma?

At 27, Karan has a clear role: lead UP’s white-ball teams in the Vijay Hazare and Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments, and contribute runs and overs in Ranji matches. A strong white-ball season is the likely route back to the IPL. His record shows that he scores big when he is set, so converting starts into hundreds will matter.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old is Karan Sharma? He is 27, born on 31 October 1998.

Which team does Karan Sharma play for? Uttar Pradesh, and he previously played for Lucknow Super Giants.

What is Karan Sharma’s highest first-class score? 208 against Assam in the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy, according to Sportskeeda.

Is Karan Sharma the same as Karn Sharma? No. Karn Sharma is a different spinner who retired in August 2026.