The hall at the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) in the city briefly fell silent before it was filled with camera flashes and the sharp rhythm of shutter clicks. Standing under the lights, with KSCA president and former India pacer Venkatesh Prasad by his side, and in the presence of his close friends and family members on Monday, all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham announced his retirement from competitive cricket.
As the noise of the press conference faded and the evening light settled, Gowtham, looking calmer and perhaps a little lighter than he was minutes before, sat down to reflect. Inside the hall, though emotions lingered, clarity began to take shape. “Retirement does break hearts and it was emotional for me as well. But there are things I’m genuinely looking forward to, especially spending a lot more time with my family,” he says.
As he looks back, there’s one feeling that remains unshakable, the moment he wore Team India colours. “Every cricketer dreams of playing for their country. I was fortunate to be one of those. At that moment, you just want to freeze time and hold on to it forever,” he reflects with sparkle in his eyes.
Even as he steps away from the pitch, Gowtham isn’t stepping away from cricket. Instead, he will be staying within the system, mentoring, contributing and nudging the next generation forward. “Cricket has given me everything. If there is an opportunity, I want to be around the game,” he shares.
Starting with Rajasthan Royals, the 37-year-old ruled the Indian Premier League (IPL) and went on to be a part of league biggies, including Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kings XI Punjab. He became the most expensive uncapped player in the history of IPL back in 2021, when he was signed by CSK for a whopping `9.25 crore.
CSK is also the one who instantly softens his tone. “Choosing one is tough from the IPL teams. But, I would say CSK felt more like a family. Fun, surprises, ups and downs, just like a real family,” he admits.
Yet the format that leaves the deepest imprint on his heart is the long, quiet burn of red-ball cricket, which, he thinks, he has contributed towards quite decently and will also miss the most.
Perhaps that explains the emotional resilience that shaped his journey, as he speaks about the low points and sporadic opportunities during his IPL appearances ,“My life has been a lot more failure than success. But that made me mentally strong. It taught me to control only what I can. I lived by that,” he reveals.
The boy who walked into the academy at 13 never really left; he only grew up with the game. He smiles, remembering Sachin Tendulkar and Harbhajan Singh as his childhood heroes, adding that he was nicknamed ‘Bhajii’ for imitating Singh’s style.
“I was a ball boy then. I was fortunate enough to bowl to Sachin during a series against Australia at Chinnaswamy. He was busy then, obviously. He is serious when he prepares and we would be fooling around. When I started bowling, he said, ‘Arey Bhajji, tumhara competitor agaya!’ (Hey Bhajji, here comes your competitor!).”
With the retirement, Gowtham isn’t saying goodbye, he’s simply turning a page, toward family, mentorship and a quieter yet deeper connection with the game, with his future plan being to keep contributing to the game. And in that lies the grace of his next innings.