Karnataka spin all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham or K Gowtham as he is better known has said that things are yet to sink in after he was bought by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Rs 9.25 crores in the recent IPL 2021 auction.
The CSK team bought three big players including K Gowtham and three uncapped players as well. Apart from Gowtham, CSK also successfully bid for Moeen Ali for INR 7 crores and Cheteshwar Pujara for INR 50 lakhs.
Speaking about the feelings and emotions during the auction, K Gowtham, who is with the Indian team as a net bowler for the ongoing England Test series, said, "It was nerve-wracking, I was very anxious, watching on TV.
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."
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The 32-year-old Gowtham has played just 24 matches in three seasons since 2018 and has scored 186 runs and taken 13 wickets. He was previously part of Rajasthan Royals for two seasons and then switched to Punjab Kings for IPL 2020.
Gowtham's parents and wife in Bengaluru were in tears when they came to know of the good news. With this bid, Gowtham became the most expensive uncapped Indian player ever in an IPL Auction.
“My parents had tears, happy tears. They were all so happy for me. 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,” Gowtham said.
The all-rounder is also uber-excited to be playing under three-time IPL winning CSK captain MS Dhoni.
"The first time I met him, I asked MS what I needed to do to take my game to the next level. 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,” Gowtham said.
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Gowtham also talked about working on his fitness in the last five years or so.
"I worked on my fitness, worked hard on improving my skills in the nets, and making the most of learning from Anil Kumble and other senior coaches so that I could be ready whenever the opportunities come.
Keep giving your best. Every day is a new opportunity. My aim is to be a better version of my previous self. Day by day, keep getting better. It's just that simple,” Gowtham signed off.
(PTI inputs)
