He played domestic cricket for Karnataka and Mizoram.
The Mizoram cricketer KC Cariappa, who represented multiple Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises, including Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Punjab Kings (PBKS), and Rajasthan Royals (RR), has drawn curtains on his career on January 12.
Born in Karnataka, Cariappa played his domestic cricket for Karnataka before shifting his base to Mizoram. He has put a full stop on his cricketing career at the age of just 31. He shared his decision on social media, via an Instagram post, saying goodbye to BCCI cricket.
“From the streets where it all began to stadium lights and wearing the jersey with pride, I lived the dream I once only imagined. Today, I officially announce my retirement from BCCI cricket. This journey gave me everything. Victories that made me smile, defeats that broke me and lessons that shaped me,” Cariappa wrote in his farewell post.
What made Cariappa stand out? His variations, including googlies, carrom balls, and off-spin, were hard to read for the batter, and his height also played a huge part. Scouts were impressed by his Karnataka Premier League performances, but inconsistency in the IPL limited his chances.
Cariappa’s IPL story began in 2015 after he was signed by KKR for an impressive INR 2.4 crore. He made his debut against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and claimed a prized wicket of AB de Villiers in his first over, instantly making his mark.
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Despite dismissing one of the legends of the game, KC Cariappa didn’t get more chances that season, leading to his release. Nevertheless, the tall five-foot-11-inch spinner made his IPL comeback with Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) in 2017-18. He returned to KKR in 2019, but failed to live up to the expectations, taking seven wickets in 10 games across three seasons. He was also a part of the Rajasthan Royals from 2021 to 2023, but never played a match. Over 11 matches, he took eight wickets with an economy of 9.66, revealing his potential.
KC Cariappa truly showcased his true skill in domestic cricket, where the 31-year-old leg-spinner bagged 75 First-Class wickets in 14 matches with a solid average of 23.20. This included six five-wicket hauls and two 10-wicket matches. In List A cricket, he claimed 24 wickets in 20 games, and in T20s, he collected 58 wickets with an economy of 6.60. Notably, he scored over 1,000 runs across formats (450 in FC cricket, 260 in List A, and 361 in T20s).
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