Seven years ago, Rasikh Salam Dar faced what seemed like the end of his cricket career when he was banned for two years following a discrepancy in his birth certificate submission to the BCCI. The ban eliminated his chance to participate in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and effectively closed the door on his comeback in Jammu and Kashmir cricket. This came just months after his rapid rise from three rejected Under-19 trials to playing at multiple levels including the IPL after Irfan Pathan joined Kashmir as a mentor in 2018.

Growing up in Ashmuji village in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, Dar learned cricket from his cousin Nadeem, beginning with tennis-ball cricket before progressing to leather-ball cricket at age 13. He developed his renowned slower deliveries and back-of-the-hand variations early in his career and later added the knuckleball to his repertoire while playing alongside Bhuvneshwar Kumar. After completing his ban and relocating to Mumbai, a lower-back stress injury sidelined him for an additional four years, but he never abandoned his ambition to play for India.

When Royal Challengers Bangalore picked Dar for Rs 6 crore in IPL 2025, few anticipated his impact given he had played only two matches. However, his dedication to improvement through coaching and observing senior bowlers like Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar paid dividends. He finished the tournament with 19 wickets at an economy rate of 9.45 and delivered his best performance in the final against Gujarat Titans with figures of 3 for 27. Captain Rajat Patidar praised Dar's ability to break partnerships and his clarity about his role and execution throughout the season.

Dar, now 26, attributes his success to unwavering mental toughness and the support of his father, Abdul Salaam, who consistently encouraged him to pursue cricket despite the setbacks. Looking ahead, with India set to play approximately 45 T20 internationals over the next two years, Dar has positioned himself as a contender for national selection. His wicket-taking ability in the middle overs and consistent performance have earned him the respect of teammates and the moniker "Ashmuji's sher" among his peers.