He might be a novice on the Indian domestic cricket circuit, but Vidwath Kaverappa is already making heads turn. The 24-year-old right-arm pacer was adjudged player of the match – he took seven wickets in the first innings - in South Zone's win against West Zone in the final of the recently-concluded Duleep Trophy. His wickets in the final included India internationals Cheteshwar Pujara and Suryakumar Yadav. He was also named player of the series, for his 15 wickets.
Kaverappa made his debut for Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 last year, and got his first wicket in the match against Puducherry. He followed it up with three wickets against Uttar Pradesh. In the Maharaja Trophy T20 (formerly called Karnataka Premier League), his team Gulbarga Mystics emerged as champions, with Kaverappa taking 17 wickets.
The defining moment, though, came in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) 2022, where he came second on the bowling charts, with 18 wickets at an impressive economy rate of 6.36. He continued his good form in the Vijay Hazare Trophy (17 wickets) and the Ranji Trophy 2022-23, where he took 30 wickets in eight matches.
He was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 20 lakh in the IPL auction.
Early years
Kaverappa hails from a humble family in Coorg, Karnataka. He loved basketball and football as a child. But, it was in handball he represented Karnataka. Cricket came into his life at 10, and he decided to pursue it professionally after high school. Bangalore presented him with the necessary exposure and opportunities. He started out as an all-rounder and played for clubs like BEL Sports Club and South End Sports Club, under the guidance of Samuel J. Muthu. However, it was his bowling that caught the eye of the selectors, thus earning him a spot in the Under-19 and Under-23 Karnataka teams.
With a smooth run-up and a quick release, Kaverappa has been able to extract swing and bounce in equal measure. It has stood him in good stead in the ongoing Deodhar Trophy, too, having taken nine wickets so far – the top wicket-taker - for South Zone.
The lanky pacer understands that it's still early days. “I am learning from every game. Since it’s the beginning of my career, I should learn as much as possible to take my state or any other team to a higher level.”
