For someone who loves promoting young cricket talent, Shyam Bhatia could not have been happier seeing the 20-year-old Kamlesh Nagarkoti's impact on the 2020 Indian Premier League.
The rising star has earned rave reviews with his pace and skills after claiming two wickets in the Kolkata Knight Riders' win over the Rajasthan Royals.
But if it wasn't for Bhatia and his late brother - Lachu Bhatia - Nagarkoti's progress to the upper echelons of cricket would have not have been smooth.
"Unfortunately, my brother (Lachu Bhatia) died last year. He would have been so happy to see Kamlesh's progress today," Bhatia told Khaleej Times.
Nagarkoti was about 12 when the two brothers came to know about his precocious talent.
"When we were looking at young talents in Rajasthan, we found this boy. He was probably around 12. We brought him to our school (Sanskar School, Jaipur), but there was no money to pay the fees. So we decided to sponsor him. Our coach Surendra Rathore, kept on working with him.
He played in under 14 and under 16 Rajasthan teams. Then he came to Under 19 World Cup (2018) and from there he took off," Bhatia recalled.
"So we kept on supporting him until IPL found him. But in his first practice match for KKR last year, he got injured. So he was out of the game for a year and a half. But now he is fit again and bowling at 145kmph. And he is such a good fielder."
Bhatia then praised KKR for being patient with youngsters like Nagarkoti and Shivam Mavi.
"Yes, they (KKR) have been great with youngsters. I really appreciate KKR for giving youngsters like Kamlesh the chance and for being patient with them," he said.
"Also, he is getting a chance to bowl with (Pat) Cummins who is the world's top-ranked bowler. So youngsters like him will get to learn so much from a fast bowler like Cummins."
But the Dubai-based businessman says Surendra Rathore, Nagarkoti's childhood coach, will continue to play a big role in the youngster's career.
"I am keeping in touch with his first coach, to ask him to make sure that these youngsters don't get distracted. Look, when they are in IPL, the coach will tell them what to do. But the coach will only help them for two months. So the role of the childhood coach is very important," he said.
Bhatia then revealed why the IPL is on the right track.
"This tournament in the UAE has proved that the IPL is now giving more opportunities to young Indian players. Previously, foreign players were hogging the limelight. But now so many Indian youngsters have got the chance and performed," he said.
"Among the foreign players, only AB de Villiers and Kieron Pollard have done well. So it shows that the IPL is on the right track."
