Karnataka all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham is excited to work under the mentorship of India great Rahul Dravid once again. He will have that opportunity during the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka where Gowtham has been called up to the national side. He is one of the six uncapped players in the side.
Gowtham has already played under Rahul Dravid in the India A side and the two cricketers from Karnataka have often interacted at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru which is headed by Dravid. Ahead of the series, Gowtham has revealed how Dravid is always ready to help out players with anything they need and is ‘only a phone call away.’
“Rahul sir (Dravid) was my coach from India A. I’m excited to play with him again. During my India A days, whenever I had doubts, I used to approach him and ask him anything. Rahul sir is open to everything. He has solutions for everything. Not just India A, I’ve also spent a lot of time in the NCA with him. He’s just a phone call away to help,” Gowtham told Times of India.
The 32-year-old further added that he’s looking forward to seeking answers to his questions from the legendary former India batsman. He also thinks this the tour will be a blessing in disguise.
“I am excited about my reunion with a legend like him (Dravid). It is a blessing in disguise for me that he is the coach and now I ask him about my trip to India. I will ask him what a player should do to play for a long time and play big games. He is just spontaneous with everything,” said Gowtham.
The all-rounder was called up to the Team India contingent as the net bowler during India’s home series against England. The experience of bowling to Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and the likes was an exciting experience for Krishnappa Gowtham who also received valuable tips from head coach Ravi Shastri.
“It was a great experience. You get to rub shoulders with the best in the country. You get to bowl to the best batsmen in the country. It is a great platform to learn on. The coaches observe you, the way you conduct, the way you bowl and how long you bowl. It was a huge learning session.
Ravi sir used to give me a lot of tips after net sessions. He used to observe me and lauded my efforts,” said Gowtham who is hoping to make his maiden appearance for Team India.
