As Madhya Pradesh humbled domestic powerhouse Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy final, many players came to the fore, with each one having his own unique story to tell. The historic triumph was a once-in-a-lifetime moment for many players including Kumar Kartikeya, who has had his fair share of struggles on his way to competitive cricket. Also, the left-arm tweaker didn’t visit his home for about nine years in his wandering for success. Also Read | ‘Virat has had his breaks. If you look at last two years…’: Manjrekar’s no-nonsense verdict about Kohli being rested
Kartikeya on Wednesday finally met his family after ‘nine years and three months’ as he shared a picture along with his mother on Twitter. “Met my family and mumma after 9 years 3 months. Unable to express my feelings,” he wrote.
Kartikeya finished the Ranji Trophy 2021-22 season as the second-highest wicket-taker, plucking 32 wickets in 11 innings including three five-wicket hauls. The 24-year-old, who can bowl leg-breaks, wrong’uns, finger spin and even the carrom ball, had earlier revealed the conversation he had with his father.
“I did have time to go home, but when I last spoke to papa, he had said that now that you’ve gone, achieve something and come back. I just said one word, ‘yes’. And because I had said ‘yes’, I wasn’t going home. I would go home only after achieving something,” he had told cricket.com.
“I stopped video calling, because my mother used to weep! So I just called. When I called, she became emotional, so I used to make only voice calls. I did video call after winning the Ranji Trophy, and also when I got selected in the IPL. Before that, it was in 2018, when I first got selected for the Ranji.”
Kartikeya’s IPL journey with Mumbai Indians started after he replaced an injured Md. Arshad Khan this year. He was immediately handed his debut cap and the spinner removed Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson in his very first over of the T20 league.
Kartikeya had also talked about his coach Sanjay Bharadwaj, who backed him through thick and thin and helped him get through the initial struggle.
“The first day I met him, he told me that whatever expenses I had, shoes, clothes, whatever is needed for your cricket, I will provide. I started weeping who does this in Delhi? He said, you just think that I’m like your father. I got very emotional then. Since I had come to Delhi, everyone just wanted to take from me. ‘Give me this much and I’ll do this for you’. He spoke only about giving. I felt so nice. Even now, where he stands for me, nobody else does. He is everything for me,” Kartikeya had said.
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