For Kartik, it's country first, cash later

New Delhi: No amount of money beats playing for your country, says Murali Kartik. Coming from someone who has had the taste of playing for India and then been out in the cold, the bowler’s commitment to country over cash is understandable. But being committed, or even being good, is not always enough for a player to make the grade and the left-arm spinner, a now-in-and-now-out member of the Indian cricket team, is left wondering as he survives another ‘out’ stage.

Kartik is playing for Middlesex in the English County championship, and we naturally asked him about the reactions of the English players, who have radically backed playing the Indian Premier League rather than for England.

"About IPL and the English players, that’s what I have heard from lots of players," Kartik says about the uproar among the English players. "I guess it’s each to his own here as probably for a few guys money is everything.

"Personally, I have never played for money," he adds. "Probably, if you ask me again after two or three years, my answer could be different, as you start thinking about life after cricket and the fact that no one is going to take care of you and your family once you have stopped playing.

"Also, I guess every player’s stand depends on how much they get paid in their respective countries.

"For me, however, playing for the country is the biggest deal," he stresses.

Being born on 9/11 can’t be the biggest thing to advertise for Kartik. For him, it could possibly be the story of a career which promised a lot, delivered some, but missed out plenty more, largely through being in and out of the side.

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