Kamlesh Nagarkoti, India's latest fast-bowling sensation and member of the Indian team currently playing the ICC U-19 World Cup in New Zealand, on Saturday became one of the latest Indian Premier League (IPL) crorepatis along with team-mates Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill and former India U-19 captain Ishan Kishan.
Nagarkoti had a base price of Rs 20 lakh only but his growing reputation invited a fierce bidding war that was in the end won by Kolkata Knight Riders, who spent Rs 3.2 crore to get the pacer in their camp.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Kishan too got many franchises interested due to his ability to hit big at the top of the innings. He was sold for a mind-boggling Rs 6.2 crore to Mumbai Indians.
Mumbai-based batting prodigy Shaw, who is leading India U-19 at the World Cup, was also expected to get the big bucks but surprisingly didn't earn as much as Nagarkoti. He was bought by Delhi Daredevils for Rs 1.2 crore.
The good thing about Shaw going to Delhi is that he will learn the trade from one of the greatest batsmen Ricky Ponting, who has been appointed the coach of the team.
Another promising young batsman Shubman Gill bagged Rs 1.8 crore from the Kolkata Knight Riders. He has been in tremendous form at the U-19 World Cup making match-winning contributions to India's unbeaten run. India will meet Pakistan in the semifinals.
Nagarkoti has stunned many with his ability to bowl really fast in the ongoing U-19 World Cup. In India's opening game of the tournament against Australia, Nagarkoti almost clocked 150 kmph besides bowling at an average speed of close to 145 kmph.
Former India cricketers Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly were impressed by the 18-year-old Nagarkoti's performance (3/29) against Australia that helped the team start its campaign on a flying note.
"His coach Surendra Singh Rathod always believed that Kamlesh was made for fast bowling, that the kind of body he has; it has facilitated fast bowling right from an early age," Kamlesh's father, Lachham Singh, told Zee News Hindi Online.
"When he saw Kamlesh bowl, he told him you have got speed and you could do something with that speed. That's how Kamlesh was hooked in," said Singh, who retired from the Indian Army in 2014, said.
