KV Aneesh’s journey: How a young talent is finding his feet in Karnataka cricket

KV Aneesh scored a brilliant 142 as Karnataka reached 496 for five at the end of the second day of its Ranji Trophy fixture against Assam. | Photo Credit: Siddanth Nair

There is an unmistakable glint in Karnataka selector Tejpal Kothari’s eyes when he talks about KV Aneesh.

“I first spotted him when he was 12 or 13 years old and after watching him play six to seven deliveries, I was certain he would play in the Ranji Trophy for us in the future. He had such a sound technique and was equally good against both pace and spin. He’s a special player,” Tejpal tells Sportstar.

Tejpal’s early conviction would soon be vindicated. Aneesh made his Ranji Trophy debut in 2024, following a prolific campaign in the CK Colonel Nayudu Trophy that same year.

The top-order batter finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer with 922 runs, including four centuries, one of which came in the final to help Karnataka lift the title.

After three years in the Karnataka set-up, Aneesh finally had his moment under the sun on Tuesday, scoring his maiden First-Class hundred against Assam on a spinning track.

His unbeaten 142 off 248 balls took Karnataka to a 361-run first-innings lead, putting it in a prime position to walk away with all seven points.

It was an innings that showcased his full range. He asserted his authority with silky-smooth drives and effortless pulls, while displaying his street-smartness through late cuts and deft touches.

Speaking to this publication, Aneesh describes his first feeling after crossing the milestone as one of gratitude.

“I’m really grateful to the coaches and the selectors for backing me, be it Yere sir (Yere Goud) before and now Vinay anna (Vinay Kumar). The feeling of getting a first hundred is always special, I remember I scored a 92 last year but sadly couldn’t convert. I’d like to put my head down and try to pile on as many runs as I can,” Aneesh says.

The hundred could not have come at a better time for the youngster. Before the Assam game, Aneesh had already scored three half-centuries in as many matches.

However, the three-figure mark had eluded him, partly because of poor decision-making.

For a youngster who had been knocking on the door, the hundred could hardly have come at a better time. Aneesh says going back to basics and keeping things simple helped him overcome that hurdle.

“I think I made the mistake of overcomplicating things and playing too many shots, especially in my first few games. But with every game, I am maturing and understanding more, and only getting better. After nine or ten innings, I feel like I have discovered the pattern of scoring runs in First-Class cricket. Performance is all that matters,” he adds.

Early days, big responsibility

Just 15 matches into his Ranji Trophy career, Aneesh has already established himself as a regular in Karnataka’s playing XI. Since his debut season, Aneesh has made the sixth-most appearances for Karnataka and the third-most among batters, behind only Nikin Jose (16) and Mayank Agarwal (28).

It is this adaptability, as much as his batting ability, that makes him such a valuable asset to Karnataka. Aneesh has been used as a floater, with his role varying according to the match situation. While he prefers batting in the middle order, he says he is comfortable with whatever the team asks of him.

“Opening was something new to me, something I hadn’t done before. I had batted at numbers three, four and five for Karnataka throughout my age-group cricket, so those positions weren’t unfamiliar. Opening was a different scenario, but I got the opportunity to do it in a few matches during the Thimmappiah Memorial Tournament and the first-division league this year, and I enjoyed it. For me, where I bat doesn’t really matter,” he adds.

There is another facet to Aneesh’s game, one that has largely remained in the background: leg-spin.

“I have a lot of variations,” Aneesh says with a confident smile. “I did bowl a bit of leg spin when I was in Dubai and I think it is very important for me to keep working on that. I speak to Shreyas Gopal a lot about bowling as well. I am not the greatest bowler at the moment, but with more work, I am sure something can come out of it. Vinay anna has also placed great emphasis on it,” Aneesh says.

The Dubai connection

Although Aneesh hails from Bengaluru’s JP Nagar, much of his early childhood was spent in the UAE. He moved to Dubai with his parents when he was just four months old, after his father got a job there.

Dubai was where Aneesh first picked up a bat, long before cricket became a serious pursuit.

“I used to go to the ICC Academy and another academy called YTCA (Young Talents Cricket Academy). Those were the two academies I trained at, and that’s where my cricket journey initially began.”

The beginnings of Aneesh’s cricketing journey can be traced to his cousin, Amogh Srikkanth, who first sparked his interest in the sport. Amogh played in the local leagues himself but did not get many opportunities to progress through the ranks.

“I used to watch a lot of cartoons as a child but every time I went back home during summer holidays, I barely got the remote because my cousin and my granddad’s friend used to watch cricket all the time. So that’s how I slowly developed my interest, by watching it on TV.”

“I loved spending time with my cousin when I was younger. He is two years older than me, so growing up, I always looked up to him. Whatever he did, I wanted to do as well,” Aneesh says.

With limited opportunities to pursue cricket in Dubai, Aneesh moved to Bengaluru at the age of 12, determined to give his dream a chance.

The move to Bengaluru also came at a personal cost for the family. His parents chose to live apart so that Aneesh could pursue his cricketing ambitions.

“The sacrifices my parents have made are unbelievable. All the credit for the effort and sacrifices goes to them. I am really lucky to have parents who were willing to live separately to support my dreams. My mother lives with me in Bengaluru, while my father is still in the UAE. I feel blessed to be in this position today,” Aneesh says.

The road ahead

Aneesh has the ingredients to become Karnataka’s next big name. Talent, a strong work ethic and an instinctive team-first approach are already part of his make-up. Yet, for all the promise he has shown, Aneesh is in no hurry to look too far ahead.

“Whichever team I play for, my only aim is to win every tournament I am part of. For me, individual performances matter only if they contribute to the team winning a trophy. If I finish as the highest run-scorer in a tournament but we don’t win it, it doesn’t make much sense. Whether with the bat or as an all-rounder, winning every tournament I play is what I strive for,” Aneesh concludes.

Published on Nov 04, 2026

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