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I have to start from scratch:
Kartik
NEW DELHI : Murali Kartik is living and fighting on
hope. After playing in just eight Test matches over the
last six years — despite doing pretty well whenever he
was summoned as an afterthought — you really can't blame
him.
 "I
feel bad when I am shunned out of the team even after
good performances," he said as he prepared to leave for
England to play in the Lancashire League for Ramsbottom
Sports Club.
"I had a good series against Australia, and even against
South Africa. I was definitely very disappointed when I
wasn't picked to play Pakistan," he added.
The left-arm spinner is, however, not planning to count
on just luck.
"Some times people opt for different combinations. You
can't find fault with others. The percentages might go
against you. Ultimately, you have to live with that. As
long as I'm fit to play and enjoy my game, I'll continue
to work hard."
That's his mission really as he escapes from the heat in
Delhi.
"County cricket keeps you match fit. The heat here gives
little opportunity to do anything. When the season
starts, you have to start from scratch so it's better to
get some useful performances under your belt. And since
the English are pretty clueless about spin, it's time
well utilised," he chuckles.
One look at his career graph and it's easy to empathsise
with him. He made his debut when either Anil Kumble or
Harbhajan Singh were running through the opposition. His
captain probably didn't always display much faith in
him. And Kartik won't be wrong if he feels that he was
the right place at the wrong time.
"That's probably the easiest way of looking at what's
happened to me," he says laughing.
"But I look at it differently. I've always bowled better
whenever I've got the chance to bowl with either of
them. They're both brilliant bowlers and I think I'm
very lucky to be playing alongside the two," is his
politically correct answer.
His wishlist for 2005?
"Play lots of Tests and ODIs but I don't want to get too
anxious. I would like to keep improving myself, my game
and get a chance to play for India."
With a new core of Team India to be formed in the coming
days who knows Murali Kartik's hopes may just actualise.
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