IPL 2018 Auction: Kamlesh Nagarkoti reveals how he felt when his name popped in the IPL Auction

India’s U-19 speedster Kamlesh Nagarkoti was a sure shot buy for any franchise in the IPL Auction. The right-arm pacer from Rajasthan has had a topsy-turvy start to his cricketing career. However, Nagarkoti has hit the roof with his recent exploits in the U-19 World Cup in New Zealand.

Against Australia in the group stage match, the right-arm pacer bowled at an express pace to get on the nerves of the Aussie batsmen. Following the match, the pacer has made the headlines for his bowling in a crucial encounter for the U-19 team.

Ahead of the 2018 IPL Auction, the 18-year-old pacer was both nervous and excited to see his name pop up on the screen for the franchises to bid head-to-head to capture the pacer. The Rajasthan Royals entered into the bidding war with the likes of Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Daredevils for the services of Nagarkoti.

KKR won the battle of bids:

It was the Kolkata Knight Riders, who made a successful bid for the pacer at 3.2 crores to beat the competition and capture the pacer. However, the seamer was away not following the IPL Auction.

“Andar se thoda nervous tha mai (I was a little nervous from within)” Nagarkoti says as he traces the events leading into his eventual bid of INR 3.2 rores by Kolkata Knight Riders. “My friends kept calling non-stop, but I didn’t pick up the phone. I didn’t watch my bidding”, said the pacer to ESPNCricinfo.

Further, the pacer said “When my room partner Pankaj Yadav turned on the live stream, I couldn’t take it. I said ‘yaar, main jaa raha hoon. (Mate, I’m off). I went and sat inside the washroom even as my bidding kept going on.”

However, the pacer was happy to see his parents giving interviews to various news media. It is left to be seen if the right-arm pacer could leave a mark in the 2018 edition of the Indian Premier League.