DC's 7.2 crore buy Kumar Kushagra reveals how Sourav Ganguly's call led to his selection in the IPL 2024 auction

Kumar Kushagra revealed how Sourav Ganguly’s call led to his DC selection in IPL 2024 auction.

In the Indian Premier League (IPL), stories of budding talents making it big continue to excite fans. One such tale that stands out is the journey of Kumar Kushagra, the rising star from Jharkhand, whose life took a remarkable turn with a phone call from none other than Sourav Ganguly, the former India captain and current director of cricket for Delhi Capitals (DC).

Kushagra shared the intricate details of how Ganguly’s call paved the way for his selection in IPL 2024 auction.

How Sourav Ganguly helped Kumar Kushagra

Kumar Kushagra revisited the pivotal moment that changed his career. The cause for this change was a phone call from Sourav Ganguly, who not only captains the ship for DC but also oversees the scouting operations. This call, as Kushagra narrates, came just ahead of the Deodhar Trophy final in August, where he had already made a mark as the sixth-highest run-scorer.

At the heart of this story lies Kushagra’s standout performance in the zonal List A competition, where he scored 227 runs in just five innings at an impressive strike rate of 109.13. His noteworthy fifty for East Zone in the Deodhar Trophy final further solidified his credentials as a promising young talent.

Recalling the moment, Kushagra mentioned,

“Sourav sir called me personally. He said that Delhi Capitals are looking at me for their squad. He praised my performances over the past two years and wanted to see me play.”

I participated in a camp in Gurugram and did well in a trial match. I played in another camp in Bengaluru, scoring 60-odd runs in 25 balls. In Kolkata, I scored 60-odd runs again, this time in 23 balls,” he added. 

The 19-year-old batter participated in trial camps in Gurugram and Bengaluru, showcasing his skills in a trial match and scoring impressively in both camps. Ganguly’s belief in Kushagra culminated in a significant moment at the IPL 2024 mini-auction held in Dubai, where Ganguly used his influence to secure Kushagra for Delhi Capitals with a substantial bid of ₹7.20 crore.

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