Gowtham elated with chance to play alongside Smith, Stokes

Ever since he made his come back to the Karnataka side two years ago, K Gowtham's journey has been an eventful one.

From playing for the India 'A' and Duleep Trophy sides to getting suspended on disciplinary grounds, the off-spinning all-rounder has stayed in the spotlight. One feature that has remained constant is his staggering consistency, which has now earned him a big prize at the IPL auction.

Gowtham was lapped up by the Rajasthan Royals for Rs 6.2 crore, 31 times his base price (Rs 20 lakh). The 29-year-old confessed he was surprised at the amount. "I didn't think I would ever be bought for so much money. I mean it's easy to be confident in your ability and be focused on yourself, but when they put a number on it, it's exciting," he said.

He has had a brilliant domestic season so far but Gowtham stressed his responsibility has increased. "I have a lot to learn and a lot of things to work on. Now is when the actual work begins. It's such a big responsibility. I will not take it lightly. I think now the focus for me is to improve my cricketing mind," he offered.

Gowtham said he is excited to play alongside popular players at the Royals. "I felt very confident of making the team when I went for trials last month. It's ideal for a young bowler like me to to be in a squad like this. There's so much room for learning. I cannot wait to play with Ben Stokes and Steven Smith. They work very differently and that's something I want to catch on. Also, having Stuart (Binny) in the side is going to be a great help," he said.

Glad for State players

Players from Karnataka have struck it big at the auction and Gowtham was happy with the fact. "I am very proud of how the other Karnataka boys have done. We have been very good this domestic season although we didn't go on to win the Ranji Trophy or succeed in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament. But it's clear to see how many talented players we have because the teams are buying most of them at such high prices."

DH News Service