India, Dec. 18 -- When the hammer finally came down at Rs.3 crore at the IPL auction, Tejasvi Singh Dahiya was still trying to process what had just happened.

For a player who has grown up watching the IPL transform into cricket's biggest stage, the moment felt surreal. Yet, he never got overwhelmed by it. As the bids climbed, Dahiya focused on staying calm rather than fixating on outcomes.

"It feels great. Honestly, I can't imagine it even now," he told HT. "No one thought it would go to Rs.3 crore. For me and my family, it's a really huge amount. I'm very happy and excited to be part of such a great franchise. KKR have won the IPL before, so I'm really excited about this opportunity."

The moment, however, was less about surprise for ...