NEW DELHI: Former Karnataka all-rounder K Gowtham, who featured in one ODI for India, on Monday announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.
A useful off spinner and a powerful lower order batter, Gowtham played 59 first class and 68 List A match for Karnataka, picking up 224 and 96 wickets respectively.
In 92 T20 appearances, the 37-year-old claimed 74 wickets and later transformed himself into a reliable range hitter, reflected in his strike rate of 158.18.
His only appearance in India colours came in July 2021 when he played an ODI against Sri Lanka in Colombo.
“I have made a lot of comebacks, returning from the brink on more than one occasion. However, had I worked my way back into the Karnataka team again, it would have been unfair to the youngsters who are the future of the team.
“While I had the option of going to another state, I never seriously considered it,” Gowtham said while announcing his retirement. He was flanked by KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad, vice president Sujith Somasundar and secretary Santosh Menon.
Gowtham was also a sought after name in the IPL for a period, turning out for Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals over the years.
Notably, he was picked up by CSK for Rs 9.25 crore ahead of IPL 2021, which was then the highest amount paid for an uncapped player.
“He's been a fantastic cricketer, a fighter to the core, and has done extremely well as an all rounder. I think he has got close to 400 wickets.
“That shows his commitment, his fitness, and also shows how loyal he is to Karnataka, because he said that he did have some opportunities to play outside Karnataka, but he chose not to,” Prasad said.
Gowtham last played domestic cricket for Karnataka in 2023, while his final IPL appearance came in 2024 when he turned out for LSG against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
(With PTI Inputs)
