Amidst the backdrop of the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026, an important news has emerged from Indian cricket. All-rounder Krishnaappa Gautam, who played only one international match for Team India, has announced his retirement from cricket. Notably, the match in which he debuted turned out to be the last match of his international career.
The T-20 World Cup 2026 tournament will start from February 7, with India and Sri Lanka jointly hosting the event. The Indian team was announced on December 20 for this tournament. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, Team India will enter the field as the defending champion. However, during this preparation, the retirement of Krishnappa Gowtham has sparked discussions.
Krishnappa Gowtham made his debut in one-day cricket for the Indian team during the Sri Lanka tour in 2021. In that series, he got an opportunity along with Sanju Samson, Rahul Chahar, Chetan Sakariya, and Nitish Rana. However, after this first match, Gowtham never got a place in the international team again. In that sole match, he took 1 wicket and scored 2 runs while batting.
Even though he did not get international opportunities, Krishnappa Gowtham's career remained strong in domestic cricket. Playing consistently for Karnataka, he took 224 wickets and scored 1,419 runs in 59 first-class matches. In List 'A' cricket, he has 96 wickets and 630 runs in 68 matches, while in T-20 cricket, he has 734 runs and 74 wickets in 92 matches. Gowtham also tried to make his mark in the IPL.
He played a total of 36 matches for Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings, and Lucknow Super Giants. In these matches, he took 21 wickets and scored 247 runs. He was also part of the Chennai Super Kings team, but did not get a chance to play there. Despite a limited international career, Krishnappa Gowtham's journey is memorable due to his contributions in domestic and IPL cricket. As he bids farewell to cricket, he has decided to quietly step off the field, making this retirement emotional for many cricket fans.