It summons great courage to overlook Virat Kohli and board Pradeep Sangwan in your squad as you believe that with the batting depth your team possesses, another addition will simply be a waste of money.
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This was exactly the case when Delhi Daredevils chose Sangwan over Kohli for their maiden IPL Season.
With India U-19 clinching the 2008 World Cup, all the spotlight was on the young skipper, Virat Kohli who pulled off incredible feats to propel India to planetary glory. As IPL was inching closer, several franchises eyed the young man’s presence in their squad, hoping a promising future from this strapping Delhi lad.
As the drafting of the young players started, Delhi could have easily notched up the local lad, Kohli which would have also been a massive boost for the fans.
However, much to the astonishment of everyone, they roped in the services of the fast bowler, Pradeep Sangwan, who was also a crucial part of the youth team that defied all odds to lift the World Cup.
As Delhi let slip of the opportunity to hire Kohli, Bangalore stepped up and made the fullest use of the earlier spillage. They roped in Kohli and what happened thereafter has been penned in golden letters in history. Not only did Kohli went on to become the best batsman in the world, but his charismatic presence in the field for Bangalore also pulled off enviable essays in the domestic annual extravaganza of India.
Why did Delhi let go of the future star of Indian cricket?
Erstwhile IPL COO, Sunder Raman explicated the fact that Delhi already had the best batsmen in their ranks in the form of Sehwag and AB de Villiers. Kohli would have been an unnecessary addition to the ranks.
Raman told Gaurav Kapoor in a podcast called 22 yards, “Interestingly, that was also the year India had won the U-19 World Cup, just a month before the auction. They were captained by Virat Kohli and we decided to keep a separate draft for the U-19 players a few days after the auction. Surprise, surprise! Virat Kohli was not the first player to be picked in the draft.”
He further added, “Delhi passed on him, actually, and picked Pradeep Sangwan instead, because they said they didn’t need another batsman. And they didn’t actually, they had Virender Sehwag and AB de Villiers. They were right in their thinking, but RCB picked him up and the rest, as they say, is history.”
Virat Kohli – The mean run-machine
Kohli has showcased imperious dominance in IPL with 5412 runs from 169 innings that boasts a sturdy average of 37.
On the contrary, Sangwan could only manage to play 39 matches and register 35 scalps at an economy rate of 8.79.
To make matters worse for the budding fast bowler, BCCI slapped a ban on him for 15 months, as he tested positive for a banned substance in India. That was the beginning of the end for Sangwan and also in another alternate reality, the enthralling rise of one of India’s biggest folklore heroes, Virat Kohli.
