Sometimes, timing is everything in life. In cricket, it is one of the most deciding factors. A batsman scoring thousands of runs in first-class cricket may never get to play since no spot availability in the team and vice-versa. Khaleel Ahmed, one of the under-19 Indian bowlers had time on his side and in a wonderful twist, the son of a compounder fetched a price of 3 Crores in the IPL Auction 2018.
A left-arm medium pacer and opening bowler for India Under-19s, Khaleel Ahmed has been a dependable cricketer fro India at the younger level cricket. He was selected for the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 after his performance of 12 wickets in three innings, including 3 for 29 against Sri Lanka in the final of the Tri-Nation Under-19s tournament in Colombo.
Khaleel failed to continue with the wicket-taking form in the World Cup, but he was always there for the team. In 2016, he was signed up by Delhi Daredevils where Rahul Dravid was present as the mentor. Although Khaleel was in the squad for two years, he did not play any matches in the IPL for DD.
ALSO READ: IPL 2018: Kane Williamson says Leading SRH Is A Great Opportunity For Him
The Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy – an Indian t20 domestic tournament was played just before the IPL Auction 2018. The Auctions was on a grand scale since it was going to revamp each team. This provided opportunities for all players to get good deals after a good performance.
In the last two matches played around the IPL Auction, Khaleel impressed with his bowling performance. In the match against Punjab, he bowled a spell of 4-0-17-3 which helped Rajasthan top the group and enter the finals. In the final match against Delhi, he took the wickets of Unmukt Chand and Rishabh Pant. He gave away only 23 runs.
ALSO READ: IPL 2018: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Points Out Loop Holes In SRH
The performances earned attention at the auction. SUnrisers Hyderabad wanting an Indian pace bowler in their line-up went after Khaleel Ahmed aggressively and bought him for a price of 3 crores while his base price was set at only 20 lakhs.
The development reached Khaleel Ahmed via phone and it just did not stop ringing. The congratulatory messages poured in and he was immersed in gratitude. After the news sunk in, Khaleel expressed how he wants to spend the money, Khaleel wants to move to Jaipur and buy a house there. “That will help me to focus on my training better. All the academies are in Jaipur, so I will be able to train harder if I move to Jaipur,” Khaleel said.
Starting from very humble beginnings, Khaleel Ahmed was initially discouraged by his family in continuing a career in cricket. Yet he pursued his dreams with full dedication. Even when he was in reserved with Delhi Daredevils, he worked doubly hard to stay at his best.
With the new season approaching, Khaleel wants to use this opportunity to move closer to a Team India berth. “That’s the ultimate dream. Every cricketer wants to play for the country and I will do whatever is required to fulfill the dream,” Khaleel said.
The hope of a sunrise still burns brightly in Khaleel’s heart.
