The IPL 2024 Auction will always be remembered for the uncapped players bagging contracts worth crores, with different franchises. One such player was wicket-keeper batsman Kumar Kushagra, who joined Delhi Capitals for INR 7.20 Cr. Meanwhile, there was stiff competition for Kushagra, from Chennai Super Kings, as well as Gujarat Titans.
In a report by the Indian Express, it is revealed that Ganguly told Kushagra, that he would play for the franchise, and they would bid him till 10 crore. “After the trials at Eden (Gardens), Ganguly told Kushagra that he would play for the Delhi Capitals and the franchise would bid for him till Rs 10 crore,” Kushagra’s father Shashikant told Indian Express. “At the trials, Ganguly was impressed with his six-hitting ability and ability to play the field. His keeping skills also impressed Ganguly and even told him that there is a bit of MS Dhoni in him when he whips the bails.”
The uncapped player had a base price of only 20 lakh, and his father felt that despite Ganguly’s promise, he might go for the same price. “I thought he will get picked by Capitals at base price. For a few minutes, I was so numb. One can only think about miracles, and today was that kind of day. He was confident because Ganguly had promised him, but I thought he must have said this to encourage him,” said Shashikant.
“I had never played cricket at any level. I was just a keen follower. When he was five and started showing interest in cricket, I decided that I would coach him. A colleague suggested a book named Art and Science of Cricket by Bob Woolmer. I must have read that book at least four or five times. That book became my coach and I started training Kushagra,” he recalled.
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