Kumar Kartikeya: Worked as labourer, didn't have lunch for a year, to Mumbai Indians' mystery spinner

Kumar Kartikeya is a journeyman cricketer who walked miles to save money and fulfill his cricketing dreams.

Kumar Kartikeya Singh was promoted to the Mumbai Indians main squad (Courtesy: Mumbai Indians)
By Samrat Chakraborty | May 6, 2022 | 2 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

‘Mystery spinner…..mystery spinner,’ said Kumar Kartikeya Singh when his namesake and former India spinner Murali Kartik quizzed him on what name he prefers to be called by in his debut appearance for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2022 against Rajasthan Royals. Kartikeya was speaking to the commentators in the mid-game break after impressing with his crafty and slow left arm orthodox spin on his debut in the lucrative tournament. 

His words and body language were no different to his journey. It seemingly looked like the Madhya Pradesh spinner was keen to get off the blocks and make an impression. He did so, in his debut match, by bowling economically and returning figures of 1/19 which also helped him find a place in the under-fire Mumbai Indians squad for their next match against Gujarat Titans at the Brabourne stadium in Mumbai. But before breaking into the biggest franchise T20 league in the world he had to overcome a series of struggles and he did so with utmost grace. 

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Kumar Kartikeya: Overcame financial hurdles 

There is hardly any doubt that Kartikeya was obsessed with cricket and his grit helped him travel the distance. It was at the age of 15 that he made it to Sanjay Bharadwaj’s academy, childhood coach of Gautam Gambhir, from Kanpur. He had made a promise before leaving his home: he wouldn’t let cricket add to the financial burden of his family where his father, a constable in Pradeshik Armed Constabulary (PAC), worked as the main breadwinner for the family. 

Kumar Kartikeya: Walked miles to save money for a packet of biscuit 

His friend Radheshyam took him to Bhardwaj and admitted that he is in no condition to pay the coaching fees. Bhardwaj agreed to give him trials and it took Kartikeya just a single delivery to access his free coaching. His action was so smooth,” Bharadwaj told ESPNcricinfo. “His use of fingers imparted action on the ball.”

The first major hurdle for the teenager was taken care of but Kartikeya had to find a way to make money for his food. He, thus, started to work as a night labourer in a factory in Masuri, a village next to Ghaziabad, about 80km from the academy and found an accomodation near to it. “Kartikeya would walk miles to get to his cricket academy to save INR 10 for a pack of biscuits. When the cook gave him lunch, Kartikeya began to cry: he hadn’t eaten lunch for a year.”





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