File photo of the Kolkata Knight Riders
© BCCI
KC Cariappa, cricket - try searching that name on the internet. Before this year's IPL auctions, that name wouldn't have given you much search results but today, it's a different story. Meet KC Cariappa, the latest millionaire in Indian cricket. While all the limelight has been focused on Yuvraj Singh, Kevin Pietersen and Dinesh Karthik, the Kolkata Knight Riders bought this 34-year-old leg-spinner from Karnataka for a massive Rs. 2.4 crore.
Not many Indian fans know him, but the IPL teams surely do. Starting from a base price of Rs 10 lakh, Cariappa stirred some severe interest among the teams. The bidding war got intense between Delhi Daredevils and Kolkata and finally, Knight Riders landed the man from Hubli at a whopping price. (IPL 2015 Player Auctions Live Updates)
According to former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, Cariappa served as a video analyst for the Knight Riders last season.
Hence, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise was aware of Cariappa's talent and wanted him to be a part of their outfit.
A regular feature for the Bijapur Bulls, Cariappa has been a prolific wicket-taker for the Karnataka Premier League side. The uncapped spinner is yet to make his debut for Karnataka in any domestic competition.
Cariappa's story is similar to that of another leg-spinner in the IPL -- Pravin Tambe. The Rajasthan Royal player was a regular in Mumbai's local competitions and was picked up during by the franchise while he was playing a local T20 game. (Yuvraj Singh Happy to Play for Delhi Daredevils)
"Where talent meets opportunity" - that's what is etched on the base of the Indian Premier League trophy and keeping up to its promise of promoting Indian talent, the IPL, over the years, have thrown up multiple unknown names. It's a tournament where fairytales are made and the eighth edition promises to script another.
Will Cariappa do a Pravin Tambe? Or will he be just a one season wonder like Paul Valthaty?
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