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XtraTime Web Desk: Karnataka all rounder Krishnappa Gowtham will be looking to make his mark in the Indian Premier League (IPL 2020) this season. The 31 year old off-spinner was traded by Rajasthan Royals to Kings XI Punjab ahead of the IPL 2020 auctions. There were a few eyebrows raised when he was snapped by the Royals for a whopping 6.2 crores in 2018. His ability to bowl restrictive off-spin and tonk the ball hard made him an instant hit in T20 format.

Hailing from Karnataka, Gowtham grew up playing street cricket until he was spotted by former India off spinner Erapalli Prasanna. Under the guidance of Prasanna, Gowtham honed his skills to make it to the state side at junior levels. At 24, he made his first-class debut for Karnataka in 2012 against Uttar Pradesh where he picked up 2 wickets in the match, but it wasn't enough to justify his place in the XI. But a lean patch in the next few seasons pushed him back until in 2017, when he emerged as the leading spinner for Karnataka.

Gowtham, who modeled his bowling after his idol Harbhajan Singh, tinkered his bowling action a bit and that worked wonders. He was called back in the Karnataka Ranji Trophy squad for 2016-17 seasons and has never looked back since. His performances in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) for Bellari Tuskers did not go unnoticed. In the match against Shivamogga Lions, he smashed an unbeaten 134 off 56 balls and picked up eight wickets, conceding only 15 runs in his four overs.

He was soon picked for India A squad for a tour game against the visiting Aussies in 2017. He grabbed the opportunity with both hands, scoring a quick fire 74 off just 68 balls. His good show for India A earned him an opportunity in the IPL as he was picked by Mumbai Indians in 2017 IPL auction at a price of 2 crore. But he did not get a single opportunity to play.

The following season Rajasthan Royals picked him for 6.2 crore. Since his first game, he became an automatic starter in the RR XI due to the balance he provided with bat and ball. His game-changing cameos and utility with the ball was the highlight of the season for the franchise. He scored 133 runs at a blistering strike rate of 196.87 while also taking 11 wickets with the ball. Unfortunately, he could not continue his fine form in IPL 2019 and was hence traded by the Royals to Kings XI Punjab for Ankit Rajput.

Gowtham will look to make a mark in the new franchise under the guidance of Anil Kumble. Here’s hoping Krishnappa Gowtham can make an impact for KXIP this season.