Menu

Kamlesh Nagarkoti

Kamlesh Nagarkoti is an Indian cricketer known primarily as a right-arm fast bowler. He came to national attention as part of the India squad that won the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup in 2018, and was subsequently signed by Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier League.

Key facts

Full name Kamlesh Nagarkoti
Born 28 December 1999
Birthplace Baran, Rajasthan, India
Nationality Indian
Role Bowler
Bowling style Right-arm fast
Batting style Right-handed
Domestic team Rajasthan
IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders

Background

Nagarkoti hails from Baran district in the state of Rajasthan. He came through the age-group cricket structure of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, representing the state at junior levels before progressing into the national youth setup.

Career

Under-19 cricket

Nagarkoti was part of the India Under-19 squad coached by Rahul Dravid that won the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, held in New Zealand. During the tournament he attracted attention for his pace, with deliveries clocked in the higher reaches of speed for a teenage bowler, and was widely discussed alongside fellow pace bowler Shivam Mavi as one of the standout fast-bowling prospects of his cohort.

Indian Premier League

At the IPL 2018 player auction, Kolkata Knight Riders acquired Nagarkoti, signalling franchise interest in his pace potential despite his limited senior experience. Recurring injury setbacks, including back-related issues, delayed his IPL debut. He was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders and eventually made his appearances for the franchise in subsequent seasons.

Domestic cricket

At the domestic level, Nagarkoti has been associated with the Rajasthan cricket team in Indian first-class and limited-overs competitions organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), including the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.

Significance

Nagarkoti is often cited as an example of the strong fast-bowling pipeline produced by Indian junior cricket in the late 2010s. His progression, alongside contemporaries from the 2018 Under-19 World Cup-winning squad such as Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Shivam Mavi and Ishan Porel, reflected the depth of talent emerging through the National Cricket Academy and state associations during that period.

References