Krishnappa Gowtham was congratulated by Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya as the spin-bowling all-rounder bagged an Rs. 9.25 crore contract from Chennai Super Kings.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham was another ‘record-breaking’ name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 auction. While overseas players like Chris Morris, Kyle Jameison, and Glenn Maxwell stole headlines bagging contracts of above INR 14 crores, Krishnappa Gowtham became the most expensive uncapped Indian player in the history of the competition.
Krishnappa Gowtham Was Very Anxious As He Felt Hard To Describe Feelings After Selection In Chennai Camp
The MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) broke the bank to acquire the services of the spinner all-rounder, signing him for a whopping price of Rs. 9.25 crore.
Krishnappa Gowtham, who is currently with the Indian team in Ahmedabad for the ongoing Test series against England as a net bowler, received big hugs from Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya as the Indian national team players congratulated him on fetching the stunning new deal.
“It was nerve-wracking, I was very anxious, watching on TV,” Gowtham told ESPNcricinfo soon after he had found a new team. “We’d just landed in Ahmedabad and I’d just switched on the TV and my name came up. Emotions were changing every minute. Then, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya knocked on my door and gave me a big hug and they asked for a big treat.”
“It was a very happy moment, we were all smiles, it was like having my family with me at that very moment. They were all so happy for me.”
Krishnappa Gowtham spoke to his parents and his wife through video call and they all had happy tears in their eyes seeing the 32-year-old bag such a huge pay package in the auction.
“My parents had tears, happy tears,” Gowtham said. “It’s hard to describe that feeling. It’s all just sinking in. Obviously, this isn’t the first time I’ve been part of the auction but every time your name comes up, the kind of butterflies in your tummy is unimaginable. So they were equally eager and anxious to see me. But I think towards the end, they were also very happy. I could see that.”
While signings for Chennai Super Kings, one of the most successful franchises in the league having won 3 IPL titles, is a great deal in itself but the prospect of playing under talismanic skipper MS Dhoni is like the cherry on the cake-a dream come true for the veteran all-rounder.
Krishnappa Gowtham Recalled Fanboy Moment After Meeting MS Dhoni
Krishnappa Gowtham recalled that he hasn’t had many lengthy interactions with the Indian cricket icon, but is hopeful of having many fruitful conversations with the CSK skipper in IPL 2021 as he had signed for the franchise.
“The first time I met him, I asked MS what I needed to do to take my game to the next level,” Gowtham recalled.
He can’t remember what MS Dhoni told him while meeting him because he was so star-struck, but the autographed bat remains a prized possession.
“It was a fanboy moment. After that, I’ve managed to chat with him a couple of times, haven’t really had long chats, they have just been short and simple. I’m waiting to now join the set-up and have many fruitful conversations with him. It’s an exciting feeling to play for CSK,” he added.
Rajasthan Royals picked K Gowtham for a whopping INR 6.2 crore from his base price of INR 20 lakhs. K Gowtham delivered for the team with both bat and ball in crunch situations and gave a good account of himself as it was due to him that RR could finish out close matches, which eventually helped them qualify for the IPL 2018 Playoffs.
The all-rounder scored 126 runs and took 11 wickets in 2018 where he played 15 games. He played only 7 games in 2019 for Rajasthan and only 2 in 2020 for Punjab Kings (formerly Kings XI Punjab) and didn’t perform that well.