India\u2019s Kartik and Prashant Veer became the joint-highest-priced uncapped players in IPL history as Chennai Super Kings invested heavily in young talent. CSK paid an astonishing Rs 14.20 crore each for both players, who started with a base price of Rs 30 lakh, highlighting the franchise\u2019s strategic move towards nurturing emerging talent.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Speaking to JioStar, CSK\u2019s new addition Kartik shared his thoughts on being roped in by the five-time champions, saying, \u201cFirst of all, a special thank you to all my family members & friends, without their support, I don\u2019t think I would have reached this stage. My entire family is very happy, everyone is celebrating and dancing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019m extremely excited to play alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni and learn from him. When the bidding started, I was scared I might miss out. But as the bid kept going up, I started crying. Even after it ended, I couldn\u2019t stop. I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness, I honestly don\u2019t know how to put it into words,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kartik, recognised for his aggressive middle-order batting and reliable wicketkeeping, has scored 334 runs in 12 T20 matches at a strike rate of 164, smashing 28 sixes, and was among the top six-hitters in the Ranji Trophy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI\u2019m extremely excited to play alongside Mahendra Singh Dhoni and learn from him. When the bidding started, I was scared I might miss out. But as the bid kept going up, I started crying. Even after it ended, I couldn\u2019t stop. I was overwhelmed with emotion and happiness, I honestly don\u2019t know how to put it into words,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Having trained with the CSK squad last season, Kartik has earned praise across the domestic circuit for his ability to excel against both spin and pace.<\/p>\r\n\r\n