One of the biggest attractions of this year ICC Under World Cup was Kamlesh Nagarkoti. The right-arm pacer had left everyone stunned with his capability of bowling in the high 140s with consistency
His three-wicket haul in the tournament opener against Australia had made him an overnight star. In that game, he had clocked a highly impressive 145.5kph on the speed gun. The tournament ended on the best-possible note for the pacer, as India won the tournament. Nagarkoti played an important part in the campaign by picking nine wickets.
Nagarkoti picked up nine wickets in the World Cup (Credits: Getty)
With a U-19 World Cup win under his belt, Nagarkoti is now eyeing a chance to play with the big boys. The Rajasthan star was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 3.2 crore at the IPL auctions last month. He is looking forward to working under Jacques Kallis and Simon Katich.
“I was extremely nervous and didn’t watch my bidding at all. My roommate Pankaj Yadav informed me about my selection, and I couldn’t control my happiness. I am eager to make a mark in the IPL,” he was quoted as saying by The Times of India.
In the upcoming IPL, Nagarkoti will have the chance to share the dressing room with some of the best bowlers in the world. The Knight Riders have snapped up Australia’s star duo Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc. Nagarkoti is hopeful he will be learning a lot from the pacers and is looking forward to learning about how to deal with pressure situations.
“They both are left-arm bowlers, but the way they use the width of the crease to bring the ball in or out of the batsmen is something I can take note of. More importantly, IPL is a platform which will help me learn how international cricketers prepare for a high-pressure situation,” said Nagarkoti.
Nagarkoti will share the dressing room with Starc and Johnson (Credits: Getty)
He further said he admires Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami among Indian bowlers.
“If I get a chance to meet them, I would want to know how they work the batsmen out in different situations. Also, I see them constantly working on their fitness, and that’s an aspect of the game I lay a lot of emphasis on,” he said.
“While I would want to retain my ability to bowl fast, it is important to bring in variety to my armoury. I want to work on adding more variations to my bowling,” he said.
Feet on the ground:
At just 18, Nagarkoti has achieved quite a lot. A World Cup, a lucrative IPL deal is enough to deviate a youngster from his path. However, Nagarkoti stays grounded thanks to Rahul Dravid’s advice.
“He would explain to us the importance of staying in the present and constantly working on the game. Dravid sir’s presence in the dressing room was a big plus for our side,” said Nagarkoti.
