The Delhi Capitals purchased Kumar Kushagra for Rs. 7.2 crore at the IPL 2024 auction.
Franchises lined up with large offers for future stars in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction, which turned some raw talent into millionaires. Kumar Kushagra, a batter and wicketkeeper for the Delhi Capitals, was one such name. He signed a contract worth an incredible Rs. 7.20 crore. The Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings were rivals for the stumper’s services, which the Capitals had to overcome. Upon witnessing his son secure a lucrative contract, Kumar Kushagra’s father disclosed the assurance that DC coach Sourav Ganguly had given him following the young wicket-keeper batter’s performance.
Kushagra’s father Shashikant told The Indian Express that after the trials at Eden Gardens, Ganguly informed him that he will play for the Delhi Capitals and that the team would spend up to Rs 10 crore for him. “Ganguly’s six-hitting prowess and fielding acumen won him praise during the trials. Ganguly was also delighted by his keeping abilities and even commented that he had a little MS Dhoni in him when he whipped the bails.”
After seeing the young player play, Ganguly was reminded of MS Dhoni and was struck by the impression created by Kushagra, an uncapped Indian with a base price of Rs 20 lakh. Despite Dada’s assurance, Shashikant thought his son might merely ask for his base fee.
“I assumed the Capitals would select him at base. I was completely numb for a few minutes. Miracles are something one can only imagine, and today was one of those days. “I felt he must have said this to encourage him, but he was confident because Ganguly had promised him,” Shashikant remarked.
“I’d never played any kind of competitive cricket. I was only an assiduous disciple. I chose to take on the role of coach when he first expressed interest in cricket at the age of five. The book Art and Science of Cricket by Bob Woolmer was recommended by a coworker. That book must have been read by me four or five times at least. He recalled, “I started training Kushagra after that book became my coach.
