140 kmph, Rs 21.5 lakh and a dream: Shubham Gautam's rise from Narora
From playing tennis-ball cricket in Narora to idolising Jofra Archer, winning the speed hunt organised by the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA), and becoming one of the most expensive players in the UPT20 League when Noida Kings roped him in for Rs 21.50 lakh, Shubham Gautam's journey is a story of patience, perseverance and raw pace
Shubham Gautam is a fast bowler from Narora, a town in Uttar Pradesh, India. Narora is known for its nuclear power plant, operated by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL). Ankit Kumar Rajput, a coach at the NPCIL cricket academy, first spotted Shubham Gautam when the latter was just 14 years old. Gautam's athletic body and exceptional talent stood out among the other students at the academy.
Despite Narora being one of the most backward areas of Uttar Pradesh, Shubham has managed to pursue his dream of playing professional cricket. He has been selected for the UP U-19 camps multiple times but never made the cut. Shubham has featured in only four matches of the Uttar Pradesh T20 League so far, but he has consistently bowled at speeds of 140 kmph.
His initial efforts to reach the final round of various trials and his family's support have played a significant role in Gautam's journey. His inspiration is Jofra Archer, and he aims to play for Uttar Pradesh in the future.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
