IPL auction: Rishi Dhawan, the apple of Kings XI Punjab's eyes

When uncapped Indian medium-pace bowler Rishi Dhawan was bought by Kings XI Punjab for Rs 3 crore (USD 500,000) in the 2014 Indian Premier League players' auction, it made him the second-most expensive uncapped player in the league after Sunrisers Hyderabad's Karn Sharma. However, not many people in India knew a lot before about this young pacer from Himachal Pradesh, who also holds the record of taking the maximum amount of wickets in the Ranji Trophy this year.

Dhawan had been following the auction process closely and 10 minutes after realizing that he had been picked up for a jaw-dropping Rs 3 crore-amount by the Kings XI Punjab, he asked his relatives which team had actually bought him, in utter disbelief to what had just happened.

"Dus minute baad maine pooncha - team kaun si hain jisne mujhe liya hai? (After about ten minutes I asked which is the team that has bought me)," Dhawan told ESPNCricinfo. Dhawan, who had already taken 49 wickets in the Ranji Trophy this year even before the knockout stage had started, was brought home by the Kings XI Punjab in the IPL auctions after a close contest of bidding among five teams, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils and Sunrisers Hyderabad being the other four.

The 5'10" tall medium-fast bowler from the land of apples was first picked up by Kings XI Punjab in 2008, the same team who he will play for in the IPL this year, even before he started playing grade cricket. Then 18, Dhawan did not eventually get a chance to play in the cash-rich T20 league as the Punjab franchise decided to reduce the number of players in the squad.

Dhawan, the 24-year-old Mandi-born Himachal Pradesh captain, who is also a handy batsman, said that things happened so quickly after his name was called out in the auctions, that he had little time to react. "It was a moment where I was just telling myself: 'Ek aur bid kar de, ek aur bid kar de (let them make another bid please). Things moved so quickly within two minutes it did not allow me to react properly. I only realised later I had been bought for Rs 3 crores. I was just so excited and happy that I was busy celebrating. The phones started coming and as I got busy attending them, I did not even know which was the franchise that had bought me," said the all-rounder. (Click here for full IPL coverage)

Dhawan, however, said that he was confident even before the auction started that he would not go unsold. Among the uncapped players, he was one of the many for whom franchises showed a lot of interest, considering only four foreign players per team are allowed to play in IPL matches, as per rules.

The Himachal player decided to stay at his grandmother's place in Amritsar after returning from a match in Punjab because he wanted to watch the auction. "I knew I was on the auction list so I was ready from the morning. I was confident about someone bidding for me. But I was nervous initially. Then Mumbai started. Then Mumbai stopped. Then I felt now that Mumbai have stopped, I don't know who else would be interested. Who will buy me? I was expecting Mumbai to bid for a higher price. But fortunately Kings XI had faith in me," said Dhawan.

"It is a big thing for me that the franchise (Kings XI Punjab) has shown so much faith in my abilities. It shows they have accounted for my performances in the Ranji Trophy and last IPL and Champions League Twenty20 with Mumbai," he added. Teams in the IPL have rewarded good performances by uncapped players in the Ranji Trophy this year, which has been clearly visible in the auction process.

Dhawan, who has the ability to swing the ball both ways, is seen among friends as a man who is quiet but intelligent. It was the same reason why this man was given the leadership role for his relatively young team Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy. His big moments came in the Indian Premier League and the Champions League T20 finals last year, which his team Mumbai Indians won.

He was picked up by the Mumbai franchise in 2012 and had a successful outing with them then, before having a forgettable run last year when they struck gold as a team. "I know I did not get the wickets but I got to play all the big matches including both the semi-finals and the finals in both the IPL and the CLT20 for Mumbai," Dhawan said. "I was pretty economical I felt and that is what possibly made the other franchises take notice."

Now happy after the Kings XI Punjab bought him for a price that is sure to improve his standard of living by quite a few notches, Dhawan was disappointed when the Indian selectors omitted him from the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup, ignoring the fact that he had been the highest-wicket taker in the 2013-14 Ranji Trophy season.

"I was really surprised," he admitted. "I was expecting the call-up. I was wondering how was this possible. If I did not get picked for ROI then how can I think of getting near to the national team."

However, all the little doubts that crept into Dhawan's mind have now been erased with him becoming the second-most expensive uncapped player in the IPL this year. "I myself have got the confidence, but now I know at least in some people's minds I am better," Dhawan said.

Sky is the limit now, it seems, for this lanky all-rounder from Himachal Pradesh!