KC Cariappa

Konganda Charamanna Cariappa, popularly known as KC Cariappa is an Indian Cricketer born on 13th April 1994 in the city of Bengaluru, Karnataka. He is a leg-break bowler known for his mystery spin.

Career

Domestic Career

KC Cariappa is a T20 specialist, who is yet to play List-A cricket and first-class matches. The Karnataka-based bowler has majorly played in franchise cricket only. He made his T20 debut for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 11, 2015.

The Kolkata Knight Riders surprised the fans by spending big on Cariappa at the preceding auction. It seemed the Knight Riders had got a similar mystery spinner like Sunil Narine. However, KC Cariappa could not justify his price tag in his first IPL season.

Playing his debut match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore, Cariappa conceded 28 runs in his two overs and picked up the crucial wicket of AB de Villiers. However, the Royal Challengers beat the Knight Riders in that contest.

So far, Cariappa has played 29 T20 games in his career. He has been a part of the Bijapur Bulls team in the Karnataka Premier League. His total wicket tally is 25 wickets in 29 innings at an economy rate of 7.14. His best figures in T20 cricket are 4/15.

His best performance in the game’s shortest format suggests he could wreak havoc with his leg-spin once he gets his rhythm. Besides, Cariappa has managed 30 runs in eight innings at a strike rate of 103.44.

IPL Career

The Kolkata Knight Riders paid INR 2.4 crore for KC Cariappa’s services in the 2015 edition of the Indian Premier League. However, the Knight Riders released him after an uneventful debut. He then joined the Punjab Kings in 2016 and played two seasons for them. In IPL 2021, Cariappa is a part of the Rajasthan Royals Team. He has played 11 IPL matches in his career, picking up eight wickets. However, his economy rate in the tournament is close to 10 runs per over.

Background

Hailing from Karnataka, KC Cariappa came into the spotlight after the Kolkata Knight Riders shelled 2.4 crore INR for his services at IPL Auction 2015. Cariappa’s key strength is that he can bowl his stock ball and off-spin with the same grip. However, he has been away from the cricket field for quite some time. His last T20 appearance came for Bijapur Bulls in KPL 2019. It will be interesting to see how he performs for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021.