New Delhi [India], December 29 (ANI): Rajasthan Royals (RR) cricketer Shubham Dubey opened up on Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 auctions and said that he had mixed feelings during the big event.
While speaking in an interview with the Rajasthan-based franchise, Dubey said that he had no idea which team would pick him.
He revealed that on the day of the auction, he started with usual practice for the upcoming Ranji Trophy matches.
Dubey further revealed that he did not expect the bid for him would go so high and it was surprising for him. He added that his parents were emotional after the auction.
“I had mixed feelings ahead of the auction because I had no idea which team would pick me. So that excitement was always there. On the day of the auction, I started with my usual practice. With the Ranji Trophy coming up, all my preparations are focused on that tournament. I had a good outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy so I was confident about my chances. Honestly, I didn’t expect the bidding to be so high so that was a pleasant surprise. The way the bids kept shooting up one after the other was astonishing to watch. My parents were sitting right across from me in the room when this happened, so watching them get emotional was a priceless moment for me. I touched their feet immediately after and thanked god as well because, without their blessings, this wouldn’t have been possible. My brother and close friends were present with me at home, and they were all very happy for me,” Dubey was quoted by a release from Rajasthan Royals as saying.
When asked about which teammate or coach he is looking forward to meeting, Dubey named Kumar Sangakkara since he has followed the former Sri Lanka skipper’s journey till his retirement.
“Sanga (Kumar Sangakkara) sir for sure. I have followed his journey till his retirement and he is such a respected figure in the cricketing fraternity. He was also a lefty like me so just being around him will surely be a learning experience for me. I can’t wait to get going,” he added.
With 220 runs from 7 innings, a monstrous strike rate of 185+ and a blazing 58 off 20 balls as an ‘Impact Player’ in Vidarbha’s highest-ever run-chase at the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023, Shubham Dubey’s timing to leave a lasting impression couldn’t have been better.
The left-handed middle-order batter had little idea that his life was about to take a drastic turn just one month later, at the IPL 2024 Auction. Delhi Capitals opened the bid for the 29-year-old uncapped player, whose base price was set at Rs 20 lakh. The Royals soon joined them, and thus began the war of bids that went well beyond the realm of anyone’s imagination.
The Royals eventually had the final say, signing the hard-hitter up for a whopping Rs 5.8 crore, knowing well and truly what the Nagpur-based cricketer brought to the table. (ANI)
