HAPPY BIRTHDAY MURALI KARTIK: One of the finest to have played for India, Murali Kartik was the definition of an orthodox left-arm spinner. With a beautiful high-arm action, right out of a coaching manual, he bamboozled the best of the batters of his time. The classical off-spinner, the arm ball, the doosra, or the floater, Kartik had all the tricks in his arsenal.
For the majority of his career, he had to play second fiddle to veterans Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. And wasn’t able to cement his place in the starting eleven of the Indian side. Kartik bagged 644 scalps in first class cricket and was a mainstay of the Railways side. On the international stage, he managed to pick 67 wickets in ODIs and Tests combined.
As he turns 46 today, let’s take a look at some of Kartik’s interesting career facts:
Transformation from a fast bowler to a spinner
Inspired by Sir Garfield Sobers, Kartik started off his cricket career as a medium pacer. Owing to his short stature, his coaches encouraged him to try slow-left-arm orthodox bowling. He was then coached by Indian spin legends Bishan Singh Bedi and Maninder Amarnath. The veterans were instrumental in molding his career andKartik turned into one of the best spinners in the Indian domestic circuit.
Played U-16 for Delhi
The Chennai-born Kartik moved to Delhi in his early years and was a part of the U-16 squad of the Delhi team. He had represented the side for a lot of matches but he could not make his way into the U-19 Delhi side.
Irani Trophy record
Kartik has an Irani Trophy record of 9 wickets in an innings. The spinner finished with figures of 9/70 and blew his opponents. He missed the opportunity to grab the tenth wicket, which was taken by Sarandeep Singh.
Represented Renowned Teams
Apart from playing for India, Kartik represented the India Green, Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders, Lancashire, Middlesex, Pune Warriors, Railways, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Somerset, and Surrey during his long career.
Part of County Cricket
Murali Kartik is one of the few Indian players who have represented four different English county sides. During his stint in England, he played for Lancashire, Surrey, Somerset, and Middlesex.
Remarkable comeback to the national side
The versatile spinner made his India debut in 2000 against South Africa but was never able to make his place permanent in the side. However, he made an exceptional comeback in 2007 against Australia in an ODI series. His economic spell helped India to triumph against a dominant Australian side. In the same series, Kartik registered his best bowling figure of 6/27.
IPL career
Though the left-arm spinner was never a vital cog of the Indian team, he was a prominent member of many IPL sides. Kartik played for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors, Kings XI Punjab, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Career behind the microphone
Kartik has always been an important element of the commentary scene. When he was selected to rejoin the drowning Indian squad in 2007, he was working as a pundit with the broadcasters.
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