Richard James Gleeson is an English professional fast-medium right-arm bowler, born in Blackpool, Lancashire on 2 December 1987. He is noted for his pace, bounce and effectiveness in T20 cricket. Unlike most international players, Gleeson came into cricket through coaching and player development before turning professional and eventually going international. He played for Northamptonshire and Lancashire before becoming a regular T20 specialist and going on to represent England. At age 38 in 2026, he returned to the IPL as a replacement player for Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Who is Richard Gleeson?
Richard Gleeson is an English fast bowler, known for his ability in T20 cricket and for making his maiden international appearance for England at the age of 34. His breakthrough came in the 2022 T20 Blast, where he made his name as a wicket-taker. In his T20I debut against India, he dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, finishing with figures of 3/15. Gleeson has since gone on to become a veteran T20 franchise bowler across the IPL, PSL, SA20, The Hundred and other tournaments.
Richard Gleeson Aspect Details
| Aspect | Details |
| Full Name | Richard James Gleeson |
| Nickname | Richard / Gleeson |
| Profession | Professional Cricketer (Fast Bowler) |
| Date of Birth | December 2, 1987 |
| Age (2026) | 38 Years |
| Birthplace | Blackpool, Lancashire, England |
| Hometown | Blackpool, Lancashire |
| Nationality | English |
| Religion | Not publicly detailed |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Education | University of Cumbria |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Playing Role | Bowler |
| Batting Style | Right-handed |
| Bowling Style | Right-arm fast-medium |
Richard Gleeson Age
Richard Gleeson was born in Blackpool on 2nd December 1987. He is 38 years old in 2026. His zodiac sign is Sagittarius.
Richard Gleeson Height and Weight
| Attribute | Details |
| Height | Approximately 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in), per some cricket profiles |
| Weight | Not publicly disclosed |
| Build | Tall frame that generates extra bounce, pace and attacking threat suited to short-form cricket |
Note: Gleeson’s tall stature is frequently cited as a key factor behind the bounce and pace that have defined his white-ball bowling, and has helped sustain a long career reaching into his late 30s.
Richard Gleeson Early Life
● Born and raised in Blackpool, Lancashire, with his early development closely tied to the game of cricket.
● Started out at Blackpool Cricket Club rather than following an early professional academy pathway, developing instead through the local club system.
● Studied Coaching and Sport Performance at the University of Cumbria.
● Worked as a Cricket Development Officer, helping introduce cricket to young players before establishing himself as a professional.
● Progressed through club cricket before signing with Northamptonshire, where he made his first-class debut.
● Later moved to Lancashire, where he gradually built his reputation in the limited-overs formats.
● Breakthrough arrived in 2022 with a blistering spell of 5/20 against Worcestershire in the T20 Blast, finishing the tournament as one of the top wicket-takers and earning his England call-up.
Richard Gleeson Parents and Siblings
Gleeson has kept his personal and family background largely private, and there is little publicly available information about his parents or siblings. Public profiles instead focus on his grassroots cricketing journey — from club cricket and coaching work in Blackpool through to international honours.
Richard Gleeson Education
| Level | Details |
| Higher Education | Coaching and Sport Performance, University of Cumbria |
| Professional Role | Cricket Development Officer, working on introducing cricket to young players |
| Career Note | Developed through Blackpool Cricket Club into professional county cricket rather than an early academy pathway |
Career and Stats
Domestic Cricket and Early Career
Richard Gleeson started his cricket career with Blackpool Cricket Club before moving into professional cricket with Northamptonshire, where he made his first-class debut and gained experience across both longer and shorter formats. He then transferred to Lancashire, where he began to make a bigger impression as a quick-medium bowler, with T20 cricket gradually becoming a significant part of his profile.
Breakthrough with Lancashire
Gleeson enjoyed a standout season with Lancashire, highlighted by a five-wicket haul of 5/33 against Worcestershire in the T20 Blast. His pace and bounce made him an effective attacking option, and his performances throughout that tournament — achieved despite being in his mid-30s — raised his profile significantly.
Franchise Career
After his international debut, Gleeson established himself as an accomplished T20 franchise player, featuring in the Big Bash League, The Hundred, SA20, the Pakistan Super League and the IPL. Known for attacking batters in the powerplay and squeezing them in the middle overs, he joined Chennai Super Kings for the 2024 IPL, played for Mumbai Indians in 2025, and was signed by Royal Challengers Bengaluru as a replacement player for Nuwan Thushara for the 2026 season.
International Career (England)
Gleeson made his England T20I debut in July 2022 at Edgbaston, producing a memorable spell on his very first outing: he sealed his maiden wicket in style, taking 3/15 and dismissing Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant. He went on to earn six caps for England, taking nine wickets in total. Although his international career has been brief, his debut remains one of the more memorable performances by an England bowler in the format.
Career Batting Stats
| Format | Span | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Catches |
| T20I | 2022 | 6 | 2 | 1.0 | 50.0 | 4 |
| IPL | 2024–25 | 3 | 2 | — | 100.0 | — |
| First-Class | 2015–20 | 34 | 259 | 11.3 | 34.1 | 8 |
| List A | 2016–18 | 21 | 53 | 6.6 | 42.1 | 3 |
| T20 | 2016– | 137 | 57 | 3.6 | 68.7 | 27 |
Career Bowling Stats
| Format | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy | Average |
| T20I | 2022 | 6 | 9 | 8.90 | 20.8 |
| IPL | 2024–25 | 3 | 2 | 9.71 | 55.0 |
| First-Class | 2015–20 | 34 | 143 | 3.31 | 21.4 |
| List A | 2016–18 | 21 | 28 | 5.82 | 29.1 |
| T20 | 2016– | 161 | 195 | 8.02 | 22.8 |
Interesting Facts
● Gleeson made his debut for England at the age of 34 — late in comparison with most international cricketers.
● He studied Coaching and Sport Performance at the University of Cumbria.
● Before establishing himself as a professional, he was involved in cricket development and coaching.
● He dismissed Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant on his England T20I debut.
● He picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket against Worcestershire in 2022.
● He played six T20I matches for England, taking nine wickets.
● He has featured for Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL.
Richard Gleeson Personal Life
Gleeson has led a private personal life, with little publicly available information about his family and relationships. He is regarded as a cricket enthusiast whose journey from grassroots coaching to international cricket is considered remarkable.
Social Media
Unlike many younger international stars, Gleeson maintains a relatively low public profile, with his reputation built primarily on his performances in T20 competitions around the world rather than social media presence.
| Platform | Handle | Followers |
| @rgleeson33 | 47.4K | |
| Twitter / X | @ricGleeson33 | 3.7K |
Richard Gleeson Net Worth
| Attribute | Details |
| Estimated Net Worth | ₹13.25 crore (approx. $1.6 million USD) |
| Main Income Source | T20 franchise contracts, including a 2026 IPL signing with Royal Challengers Bengaluru worth ₹1.6 crore as injury cover |
| Other Income Sources | Regular salary with Lancashire County Cricket Club, a £60,000 contract with the Manchester Originals in The Hundred, further contracts in the PSL and SA20, and sponsorships including cricket kit deals |
Conclusion
Richard Gleeson’s is one of the more unusual British cricket careers. Rather than progressing through a top-tier academy straight to the international level, he played club cricket, coached and competed in domestic cricket before making his England debut at 34. His explosive T20I debut against India showed that his late arrival was a matter of timing rather than ability, and as his franchise career progressed he emerged as an experienced T20 specialist. Still playing at 38, Gleeson earned another shot in the IPL with Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2026 — an inspiring story of persistence, adaptability and peak performance achieved later than most expect.
FAQ’S
Richard Gleeson is an English right arm fast-medium bowler and has played for England and played for many domestic and franchise sides in T20Is.
His is 39 years old in 2026.
In July 2022, he got his T20I debut game against India, where he picked up 3 wickets in his debut match.
He was brought in for ₹1.6 crore by Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2026 as a replacement player.
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