Under the captaincy of the legendary Indian batter Virat Kohli, Team India clinched the Under-19 World Cup in 2008. Among the stars of that team was wicketkeeper-batter Shreevats Goswami, who played a crucial role in their victory. In the semi-final match against New Zealand in the Under-19 World Cup 2008, Goswami scored 58 runs, contributing significantly to the team's win. Following this performance, alongside Virat Kohli, Goswami was given an opportunity in the IPL by the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) team.
However, despite winning the Emerging Player Award in the first season, Goswami couldn't make a significant impact in the IPL thereafter and gradually faded from the spotlight.
Emerging Player Award in IPL 2008
Shreevats Goswami, hailing from Bengal, was included in the RCB team for Rs 12 lakh. He started his IPL career alongside Virat Kohli. In his debut season, Goswami got to play in four matches, scoring 82 runs at an average of 27.33, which earned him the title of the Emerging Player of the Season.
Goswami's time with RCB till 2010
While Virat Kohli advanced to the Indian national team by 2008, Goswami, the World Champion team's wicket-keeper, didn't get as many opportunities. In the 2009 IPL season, RCB played him in only two matches, during which he made a total of 43 runs. The following season, in 2010, he could only manage eight runs in one match.
A single match with KKR
From 2008 to 2010, Goswami was with RCB. Later, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) brought him into their squad for Rs 20 lakh. However, Goswami's performance for KKR remained subdued, and he scored only 29 runs in 5 matches. Consequently, KKR released him before the next season.
Opportunity with Rajasthan Royals
The Rajasthan Royals team showed faith in Goswami and added him to their squad through a transfer from KKR. In the IPL 2012 season, playing for Rajasthan, Goswami participated in 11 matches but could only score 69 runs at a disappointing average of 13.80. In the 2013 season, he was mostly benched.
A chance from Sunrisers Hyderabad
From 2014 to 2017, no franchise showed interest in Goswami. However, in 2018, Sunrisers Hyderabad bought him for Rs 1 crore, giving him another opportunity to showcase his skills. Unfortunately, in the 2018 season, he could only manage to score 52 runs in 6 matches for Hyderabad.
The following season, although retained, he did not get to play a single match. In the 2020 season, he had two opportunities to prove himself but failed to score in the few deliveries he faced, leading to his release from the team. Since being dropped by Hyderabad after the 2020 IPL season, no franchise has shown interest in the now 34-year-old Goswami.
Performance in IPL and Domestic Cricket
Currently playing domestic cricket for Mizoram, Goswami has amassed 3,019 runs in 61 First-class matches, 3,371 runs in 97 List A matches, and 2,437 runs in 111 T20 matches. Despite beginning his IPL career alongside Virat Kohli, Goswami could only score 293 runs in 31 IPL matches and has since disappeared from the fans' radar.
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