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Quality of spinners has gone down: Murali Kartik

Vijay Lokapally

— File Photo

Murali Kartik played a major role in Somerset finishing runner-up in division one in the just-concluded English season.

NEW DELHI: His languid countenance is mostly misconstrued as arrogance. “I never pretend,” is how he reacts to ill-informed critics. Murali Kartik, long forgotten by the National selectors, continues to make waves, not just at home, but on fields far and away from the Karnail Singh Stadium, the ground that has been an integral part of his grooming as a cricketer of merit.

Kartik has competed in 12 back-to-back domestic seasons, without a break, except once when he suffered a shoulder surgery. He has remained a wicket-taker and not the modern bowler who looks to bowl dot balls or be happy with an analysis of 10-1-60-0, which is considered decent in contemporary cricket.

At 34, he is richly experienced, has served Railways and India with distinction, and justified his contracts with Lancashire, Middlesex and Somerset at various times. His recent success in Somerset has won him an extension for the next season too. A tally of 44 wickets in county championship division one has won Kartik rave reviews in England.

Major role

Kartik played a major role in Somerset finishing runner-up in division one in the just-concluded English season. He reflected, “I have enjoyed playing county cricket over the last six years. It keeps your competitive juices flowing.

“This year the added enjoyment has been playing for a highly ambitious, competitive and skilful side. There have been no easy days. Honestly, every day has been something to play for.”

It is strange that Kartik continues to excel in demanding conditions in England and yet does not get picked by the National selectors back home. Many former players rate him the best spinner in the country.

“One of the funniest things is that these statements have come from the current lot of selectors when they have been sitting in TV studios. But they change once they become selectors.

I had always been the third spinner with Anil bhai (Kumble) and Bhaj (Harbhajan Singh) and perfectly so. But if you say there is a better spinner than me in India, apart from Bhaj, I will stop playing.”

Decrease in quality

Kartik agrees the bowling standards have plummeted. “Batting in limited-over games has improved over the last few years because of Twenty20 cricket, better pitches and short boundaries worldwide.

“But the quality of fast bowlers and spinners has definitely gone down over the years in world cricket and spinners definitely in our country.

“I reckon our former greats and also spinners who couldn't play for India might be cringing when looking at us. We have lost the skills of spin bowling.”

Cricket, noted Kartik, would always remain intense for a bowler. “Your inefficiency is visible the whole day if you are having a shocker of a day. For a batsman the misery ends once he is out.

One-sided contest

“In T20, the contest is one-sided because the fans want sixes and fours. This has forced the kids learning the game to do things which make them stay in the game.

“Hence they lose the skills the former bowlers around the world had. Administrators have also always liked it to be a batsman's game.”

Would he then be tempted to be born as a batsman?

“If I was born in India I wouldn't want to be a cricketer. If I was reborn I want to play golf. At least, my life would be in my hands and not in the hands of those with a million agendas.”

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