Delhi Capitals went all out for wicket-keeper batter Kumar Kushagra and eventually secured the cricketer for INR 7.2 crore. The 19-year-old has shown glimpses of his class in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, in which he hit 67 runs off 37 deliveries against Maharashtra as Jharkhand managed to chase down 355 runs. Courtesy of the same, the cricketer was appreciated by a lot of scouts that were present on the ground and it eventually played a part in him earning a massive deal.
Notably, ahead of IPL 2024, Delhi released Phil Salt, while Rishabh Pant may not keep in the upcoming season, given that the 26-year-old is yet to completely recover from the injuries he suffered during an unfortunate car accident towards the fag end of 2022. In that case, Delhi can use Kumar as an impact sub if not as a regular.
He has played 11 T20 matches so far in his career and has scored 140 runs with a strike rate of 117.64. He has shown a lot of promise and has become a regular for Jharkhand, as Ishan Kishan remains busy with the national team. The Bokaro-born cricketer has gained the reputation of being a decent finisher as he can score some quick runs in the death overs.
However, with the lack of experience, the cricketer might struggle but DC with the likes of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly, Kishagra seems to be in the right hands. The 19-year-old will have the opportunity to learn from some of the best minds and can groom himself accordingly.
Delhi, known for its investment in young cricketers, were delighted after having Kumar on board. As per some reports, Ganguly himself was heavily impressed with his performance in the trials as Chennai Super Kings were the other team that invested time in him. Meanwhile, other than Kumar, DC also signed Harry Brook (INR 4 crore), Tristan Stubbs (INR 50 lakhs), Ricky Bhui (INR 20 lakh) and Rasikh Dar (INR 20 lakh).