IPL 2018 auction: 10 things you need to know about Kings XI Punjab’s newest recruit Mayank Dagar

There was one name that came up in the auction yesterday surrounding which there wasn’t too much of a buzz despite stellar performances in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. That name belonged to Mayank Dagar.

Dagar was picked up by the Kings XI Punjab in the auction for his base price (20 lakhs).

He was one of the shining lights of India’s Under-19 World Cup campaign in 2016, however, not a lot of people have heard his name.

A classical left-arm offspinner who plies his trade for Himachal Pradesh, Dagar will play under the tutelage of his uncle Virender Sehwag in the 2018 IPL.

Here are a few things you need to know about the 21-year-old:

#1 Mayank Dagar was born in Delhi on November 11th, 1996. He is the nephew of former explosive Indian opener Virender Sehwag.

#2 Even though his family resides in Delhi, Mayank stays in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh. The main reason being he went to school in Himachal (in Shimla). It was in boarding school that he developed an interest in cricket and took it up. Also, taking up the sport was never a difficult choice for the youngster as his father had played university-level cricket and his sister too showed a keen interest in the sport.

#3 Before he completed his 12th grade, Mayank had already made his List A debut. In December 2015, he made his debut for Himachal Pradesh in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. On debut, he scored 21 but went wicketless (9-0-42-0) as his side lost the game.

#4 Mayank Dagar was a key member of the India Under-19 World Cup squad in 2016. He was India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. After warming the bench for the first two games of the World Cup, Dagar played all the other games including the final. In the 4 games he played in the mega-tournament, he took 11 wickets at an average of 9.36, a strike-rate of 19.4 and an economy of 2.88. His strike-rate and average were among the best in the tournament.

#5 He appeared for his Class XII board exams after returning from the Under-19 World Cup in 2016 which took place in Bangladesh.

#6 Mayank then made his first-class debut for Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy in October 2016. In his debut game, he scored a vital 42 lower down the order (at No. 8) and bowled economically (16-5-37-0) before rain played spoilsport.

#7 Dagar places a lot of value on education. In an interview during the Under-19 World Cup in 2016, he said, “Studies are important. Your mind will get broader. I am going to manage my cricket and studies, because it's not all the time that we play cricket.”

#8 He is also fascinated by English Literature and even maintained a personal World Cup diary during the tournament in 2016.

#9 Dagar has a decent first-class record. He has taken 30 wickets in 11 games at an average of 34.53. In the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the 21-year-old left-arm spinner took 4 wickets in 5 games.

#10 Mayank Dagar is also a fitness freak. In September 2017, he trended on social media for his stylish looks and super-fit body, earning comparisons with Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan. He also has about 77,000 Instagram followers.

It was this picture that won people's hearts in September last year