Chennai Super Kings acquisition for Rs 14.20 crore Kartik Sharma has made it clear that his first priority will be to pay off his father’s loans as soon as possible. The 19-year-old batsman, who was Rajasthan’s top scorer in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, spoke to Jatin Sapru about how he plans to spend the money he earned from the IPL auction.
The young batsman, known for his penchant for hitting sixes and playing fearless strokes, termed the offer as life-changing. He revealed that his immediate aim is to clear his father’s loan of Rs 26 crore, though he did not specify what the loan was taken for. For Kartik, it was as much about relief for his family as it was about personal success.
“This amount is life changing. Your first IPL salary. What will you do with it for your parents?” Sapru asked during the interaction. When asked, Kartik Sharma said, “The first thing I will do is to pay off my father’s loan of Rs 26 crore,” making it clear where his priorities lie.
Kartik Sharma was visibly emotional after Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow Super Giants and Kolkata Knight Riders engaged in an intense bidding war for his signature during the recently concluded mini-auction. When the hammer finally came down at Rs 14.20 crore, he became the joint costliest uncapped player in the history of IPL auctions, alongside Prashant Veer, another player acquired by CSK.
The teenager admitted he couldn’t control his emotions after seeing the price he was sold for. Kartik said he was initially skeptical about his chances of being selected and the long bidding only added to the overwhelming nature of the moment. Even after the auction was over, he had a hard time processing what had just happened.
“I was so happy that I cried at the end. When my bidding started, I was scared, I thought I won’t be selected today. But once the bidding started, it kept going round and round. At that moment, I couldn’t hold back my tears. Even after the bidding ended, I was crying. Everyone was dancing, I was crying. I was so happy,” said Kartik.
On the field, Kartik finished as Rajasthan’s leading run-scorer in the latest Vijay Hazare Trophy, scoring 445 runs from eight matches at an impressive strike rate of 118.03. He predominantly bats at No. 4 and is a constant presence in Rajasthan’s middle order.
In the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Kartik amassed 334 runs in 11 innings over two seasons at a blistering pace of 162.92. He also impressed during the 2024 Sher-e-Punjab T20 where he amassed 457 runs in just 10 innings at a strike rate of 168.01, further underscoring his reputation as an explosive young batsman.
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Issued by:
Kingshuk Kusari
Published on:
December 25, 2025
