IPL season six: King’s XI Punjab picks Gony for Rs 2.6 crore

Mohali-based seamer looks forward to bowling in front of home crowd

For Manpreet Gony, it was a case of double joy. Not only did he get to make a homecoming, he also struck gold. The Mohali-based Punjab seamer was bought by King's XI Punjab for $50,000 (Rs 2.6 crore) for the forthcoming IPL in the auction held in Chennai on Sunday.

The bidding was between KXIP and Sunriser's Hyderabad but the Mohali side got Gony on board.

Surprised at the amount he got, a thrilled Gony told Chandigarh Newsline, "I was at the PCA stadium for the Punjab ODI camp when a friend told me about the scenario. I was surprised at first. But I am happy that I made it to the KXIP squad in the end. I was eyeing that slot in the Punjab team. It will be good to play alongside your teammates and learn from the likes of Adam Gilchrist, Azhar Mahmood, Dimitri Mascarenhas and Praveen Kumar. I'm happy as my three-and-a-half-year-old son Ranveer Singh along with my wife Manpreet would be there in the crowd watching me in action."

Gony who made an impression in the first season of the IPL played for the Indian ODI team after that. He was bought by Deccan Chargers in the second IPL auction. Ever since he had been playing for Deccan Chargers but due to the presence of medium-pacers like Dale Styen and Ishant Sharma, Gony was getting fewer chances.

With KXIP think tank knowing about his abilities and strengths, buying Gony would be a good decision in the longer run. He not only spearheads the Punjab pace attack at the domestic level but is also a good hitter with the bat in the slog overs.

Talking about his plans for IPL season six, Gony, who was recently included in the India A team that will take on the visiting Australian team in a match in Chennai, said, "I have worked with Darren Lehman while he was the coach of the Deccan Chargers team in the previous IPLs. He has an amazing cricketing brain. I will be bowling a lot of slower ones, slower bouncers and also add more variation to my bowling, something that is suited for T-20 format. I hope to deliver the goods for KXIP this season and live upto their expectations. I will bowl with extra intensity in front of my home crowd. I have good opportunities ahead of me, I hope to grab them with both hands and make the most of it."

... contd.

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