(Cricket News) Koushik Vasuki fondly recalls a time nearly a decade ago when he worked late-night shifts at Amazon to pursue his love for cricket in the mornings. In his early 20s and aspiring to make it to zonal cricket, he faced challenges due to conflicting schedules with exams during his engineering studies. Despite this, his passion for cricket, instilled since childhood while playing with a plastic bat and ball with his father, remained his primary focus.

Hailing from a middle-class background, Koushik realized the importance of having a backup and, therefore, pursued a mechanical engineering course at Sri Venkateswara College of Engineering in Bengaluru. After a year in the corporate world, he spent eight years as an employee at Central Tax and Customs. Balancing his corporate job and cricket aspirations took a toll on his body, but his determination persisted.

Fast forward to early 2024, and the 31-year-old Koushik stands out as one of the top performers at the beginning of the Ranji season, following an impressive showing in the Duleep Trophy final. His seven-wicket burst in the opening day of the Ranji Trophy season played a crucial role in putting Karnataka in a favorable position against Punjab. Despite a late start to his professional cricket career, Koushik has excelled with 49 wickets in just 10 first-class games.

Reflecting on his journey, Koushik acknowledges the challenges he faced, including intense competition in Karnataka’s fast-bowling department led by R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, and Sreenath Aravind. A lower back issue at 17 forced him to reduce his pace, but he compensated by focusing on accuracy, drawing inspiration from his idol Glenn McGrath.

Koushik credits the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) as a significant platform that propelled him into the senior team, having missed out on zonal and junior age group state cricket. His performances in the KPL, where he was the most economical seamer, earned him a spot in the state team in 2018.

Looking ahead, Koushik envisions an exciting season for Karnataka cricket, especially in the 50th year since the state’s first-ever Ranji Trophy season. Despite a relatively inexperienced bowling lineup, Koushik is optimistic about the team’s chances, aiming to go a step further and clinch the title. He highlights the team’s youthfulness, with players like Mayank Agarwal and Prasidh Krishna, expressing confidence in their abilities to make a significant impact.

As Karnataka faces upcoming challenges, including an away game against Gujarat in Ahmedabad, Koushik remains hopeful and emphasizes the team’s determination to secure their first title since the 2014/15 season.

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