It was surreal for him when Prayas Ray Barman got picked by RCB for a whopping Rs 1.5 crore at the IPL auction in Jaipur. The 16-year-old leg-spinner with a tall 6’1 inch frame, never thought he would be picked at such an extravagant price.
Prayas is not a big spinner of the ball but loves being quick in the air and accurate, something that very much resembles the style of Kumble. “The feeling has not sunk in. But I’m getting a flood of calls, with several in waiting. Never expected I will be picked” said Prayas.
“Like any other youngster in India, Virat is our role model. I always had a dream to click a photo with Kohli. I’ve tried a lot but did not get any opportunity. Now that I would be sharing the dressing room with my hero is just unbelievable”, said Prayas very excitedly. “Sharing the dressing room, practising, interacting with the likes of Kohli, AB de Villiers on a day to day basis... It will be a big learning curve for me” he added.
“I was not that tall. It was only a couple of years ago, I’ve grown taller as many people here started telling me that I bowl ‘Kumblesque’” said Prayas who is a big fan of Shane Warne.