K Gowtham retires from all forms of cricket

K Gowtham, the former Karnataka offspinner, has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He made the announcement on Monday at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, at a press-conference organised by the new KSCA dispensation, headed by former India seamer Venkatesh Prasad.

Gowtham, 37, finishes with 394 wickets and 2783 runs - including a hundred and five half-centuries in the Ranji Trophy - across formats for Karnataka in a career that spanned for nearly 14 years. The crowning glory came in 2018-19, when he played a key role in Karnataka's Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy triumph.

In 2021, after having initially been picked as a net bowler, Gowtham earned his India cap after more than half the squad was struck down by Covid-19 on the tour of Sri Lanka. He picked up 1 for 49 in his only ODI.

Nicknamed Bhajji for his closeness to Harbhajan Singh's action during his formative years, Gowtham had brief IPL success during his time with Rajasthan Royals, when the late Shane Warne famously termed Gowtham as his 'IPL project' in 2018.

Gowtham represented Royals, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants and Chennai Super Kings in all, playing a combined 36 games in which he picked up 21 wickets at an economy of 8.24.

Gowtham last featured in a competitive game for Karnataka in December 2023, and was part of a churn that led to the exit of a number of senior players. Gowtham initially resisted temptation to change states, and played in the state's T20 tournament - the Maharaja T20 - in a bid to try and remain in white-ball contention, but eventually decided to call it a day once it became clear the selectors were looking to the future.

Gowtham continues to play a key role in the backroom of the Mysuru Warriors, where he was a mentor and player during the 2025 edition. Over the past two years, Gowtham has also become a regular in vernacular cricket commentary.