India U19 star Kamlesh Nagarkoti eager to make his mark in the IPL

India’s latest bowling sensation, Kamlesh Nagarkoti turned eyes with his exploits in the recently-concluded U19 World Cup. Nagarkoti along with pace partner Shivam Mavi proved to be a success for India. Their fiery spell of fast bowling in the opener against a formidable Australian outfit set up the tournament well for India. The Men in Blue eventually went on the lift the cup for a record fourth time, and they did so without losing a single game on the road.

The 18-year-old Nagarkoti has not only impressed with his ability to clock speeds in excess of 140kph consistently but also maintained tight line and lengths each time he was given the ball. With a U19 World Cup win under his belt, Nagarkoti is now eyeing a chance to play with the big-shots of the game.

Nagarkoti excited to learn from the greats

Following his recent heroics, the pacer landed himself a lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) deal. He was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 3.2 crore at the player auction last month. The youngster is excited to be working under Jacques Kallis and Simon Katich. Nagarkoti believes bowling alongside the likes of Mitchell Johnson and Mitchell Starc in the KKR camp will only sharpen his game and looks upbeat for his upcoming challenge.

Speaking to TOI, the speedster said, “When I came to know that I will be part of KKR, I was pleased to get an opportunity to with both Kallis and Katich. There is so much to learn from someone like Kallis and the experience of working with him will definitely make me a better cricketer.”

He added, “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.”

Will not play in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Unlike most of his under-19 teammates, Nagarkoti won’t be featuring in the ongoing Vijay Hazare Trophy and the right-arm pacer is set to have a brief time off from the sport after winning the World Cup. The sabbatical will be perfect to prepare him and get into the mindset of playing the shorter format prior to the kickoff of IPL 2018.