The Fuletra family home in Rajkot has been buzzing with non-stop phone calls and celebrations since Tuesday. The reason for the joy is their son, Krains Fuletra, who was picked by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the recent IPL mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
From Net Bowler to Main Squad: A Dream Realised
Sunrisers Hyderabad secured the services of the left-arm wrist spinner from Saurashtra at his base price of Rs 30 lakh. Krains, who served as a net bowler for SRH in 2025, is now set to graduate to their main squad for the IPL 2026 season.
"My family is delighted. This is a dream come true moment for my parents and me," an ecstatic Krains told TOI. "Firecrackers are being burst at Maadiya village, from where we come. We had a farm and my father ran a paan shop there. Here in Rajkot, we celebrated by distributing sweets."
The Skills That Caught SRH's Eye
While his statistics—14 wickets in seven matches in the Men’s U-23 one-dayers and eight wickets from three matches in the ongoing CK Nayudu Trophy—are solid, it was the unique variety in his bowling that prompted SRH to invest in him. His biggest endorsement came from an unlikely source: the destructive South African batsman, Heinrich Klaasen.
In a podcast with former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, Klaasen had heaped praise on the young spinner. "Last year at the IPL, one of our net bowlers was a very tiny left-arm leg spin bowler. He just bowled that size, and he wanted to bowl to me the whole time," Klaasen said.
"I’ve faced enough left-arm leggies in my life, but I just couldn’t hit him. Every time if you hit one, then next it was slower or went wide. At this stage, I just wanted the ball to come to me. I need to hit you now. I just struggled the whole time," admitted the big-hitter.
Coach's Insight and Future Prospects
Saurashtra U-23 coach Rakesh Dhruv explained what makes Krains special. "Left-arm wrist spin comes naturally to him," Dhruv told TOI. "He flights the ball generously and uses his variations like the flipper and googly very smartly. He deceives batters by altering his length."
While Klaasen will no longer have to face his teammate in the nets, if Krains can consistently nail his lengths and variations, he could prove to be a tricky customer for opposition batters in the upcoming IPL season. His journey from a supportive net bowler to a contracted main-squad player is a testament to his skill and perseverance.
