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Gowtham scaling new heights

Last Updated 28 August 2017, 19:09 IST
A man who has made a lot of heads turn in Karnataka cricketing spheres over the last year is K Gowtham.

After a splendid all-round show in the Ranji Trophy for the State side, Gowtham secured a big money move (Rs 2 crore) to Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Mumbai Indians during the 2017 auction.

The lanky off-spinner was then rewarded a spot in the India ‘A’ squad that was touring South Africa, after Jayant Yadav returned home following the demise of his father.

For Gowtham, it was his first ‘A’ tour and the Bengaluru cricketer revealed that he did not feel any kind of pressure or have nerves.

Speaking on the sidelines of a Karnataka Premier League (KPL) press conference here on Monday, he said: “It was my first ‘A’ tour and my first overseas tour. Representing the country in any team is a big thing. I never put any kind of pressure on myself.”

He went on to credit his comfort levels to the presence of other state-mates R Samarth and Karun Nair, and also coach Rahul Dravid.

“It was Karun, Samarth and Rahul Dravid. I didn’t feel left out. I felt as if I was playing at home. It felt like I was playing for Karnataka...I had that feeling. It helped me execute the plans I had.”

Making a statement

The 28-year-old made quite a statement in the solitary game he played, dismissing David Miller twice as India ‘A’ levelled the two-match unofficial Test series 1-1.

“As an off-spinner, bowling to a left-hand batsman is always an advantage. The ball goes away from him so it’s difficult. I never went in with a specific plan. I knew I had a chance to get him either bowled or leg before since there was little or no assistance from the wicket and I exploited that factor,” said Gowtham, who finished with 27 wickets in his first Ranji season.

Despite not getting a look into the Rohit Sharma-led side that went on to win their third IPL title, Gowtham had the opportunity to interact with legends -- the likes of Mumbai Indians icon Sachin Tendulkar and Sri Lankan head coach Mahela Jayawardene.

“I was close to playing a couple of games. But it’s about the team combination. And the team was doing really well and nobody wants to make changes to a winning side.

“But it’s okay that I didn’t play. It was a huge learning experience for me and made a big difference, especially in terms of my fitness...the way I think and the way I plan,” he quipped, adding that Jayawardene had told him he had a bright future if he tinkered his game a tad.

Gowtham, who was snapped up for Rs 7.2 lakhs by the Belagavi Panthers during the KPL auction earlier this month, will be a vital cog for his side as they begin their campaign on on September 1 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium against last edition’s finalists Hubli Tigers.
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(Published 28 August 2017, 19:09 IST)

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