IPL-6 Country specialist Kartik has ace up his Sleeves

IPL-6 Country specialist Kartik has ace up his Sleeves

In Indian cricket, Murali Kartik probably is either a forgotten story or a footnote in the mainstream saga. A left-arm spinner with orthodox action and immense potential, Kartik’s international career panned out as a rollercoaster affair, with various complex factors including the apparent dislike of a captain and questionable inconsistency in the selection process leading to those several ‘downs’.

But nothing could be more cruel than Kartik spraining his ankle during a Duleep game back in 2008 in Bengaluru, ironically on the day where the selectors were meeting at the same venue and were set to chart his comeback. The moment passed and the comeback never happened.

Five years on, the 37–year-old wears a protective brace on his left ankle during practice sessions even to this day, a symbolic reminder of that heart-breaking, lost opportunity.

However, the Chennai-born cricketer, who has played most of his first class cricket for Railways, has moved on in life with remarkable fighting spirit.

For a bowler who tags himself as a classical left-arm spinner, Kartik has reaped success in the T20 format, notably in the county circuit, and deservedly carries off the confidence of being a ‘global cricketer’.

The Royal Challengers Bangalore’s only spinner among the fresh recruits for the IPL-6 season proudly acknowledged the role of slow bowlers in the shortest format, adding that he has his own success mantra in subtle variations. “The first time I played T20 cricket, I went for 39 runs in four overs, against Surrey. Then I thought this is not the game for spinners,“ said Kartik.

“Having come from the old school of playing fourday cricket and 50-over cricket, I was trying to bowl the 50-over way which didn't work. Everybody thought that the spinners were going to be easy meat.

As life teaches you to survive, the spinners have tried different things. Now you see so many spinners bowling close to three overs in the Power Play,“ stated Kartik, after joining the team's preparatory camp here on Thursday.

“I have been bowling the first over in the Power Play for most of the teams I have played for – Pune Warriors, KKR, Surrey, Somerset and Railways. From being cannon fodder, you’re bowling within the Power Play.

That shows how much the spinners have come around,” said the veteran, one of the four left-arm spinners in the RCB ranks.

Being on the wrong side of 30, the veteran of eight Tests, 36 ODIs and 196 firstclass matches is highly unlikely to make an international return.

“I have never looked at IPL as a criterion to get picked in Tests or T20s. I’ve played world over and am doing well in county cricket. Here (in IPL), you are playing for a side and have your reputation at stake,” stated Kartik, who can chip in as a handy low-order batsman as well