Mumbai: Cricket is rightfully considered the spirit of our country. If you happen to take a walk in the morning, it is more likely for you to come across some children and youngsters either playing cricket in the alley or practicing on the grounds with a spark sound of ‘Howzzattt!’ from some corner.
The game is driven by passion and dedication from lakhs of youngsters trying to make it to a higher level. Kumar Karthikeya is one such name that exuberates passion and grit to achieve a goal in life.
The story of his life is filled with emotion and sacrifices toward the game. Young Karthikeya left his house at the age of 15 in order to achieve something impactful and meaningful in life. His father was a constable in Kanpur. He left his home and pledged to get back and meet his family only if he achieves anything in life. He travelled all the way to Delhi in order to up his game and chances in cricket.
He started practicing under coach Sanjay Bharadwaj who coached him for free. Financial troubles forced Kartikeya to work in a factory near Ghaziabad at night and practice throughout the day.
In an interview with ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Bharadwaj shared an anecdote where he said that when Kartikeya was offered food in the academy he started crying because he hadn’t had lunch for a year.
His determination and dedication bore fruits as he made his debut into the Ranji Trophy Team in 2018 from Madhya Pradesh. Kartikeya struggled hard for nine long years and his coach claimed that his ‘obsession’ with perfecting his game grew during this period.
Mumbai Indians are known to have a world-class scouts team that digs out talent from across the country. Players like Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah are the results of the scout talent hunt in the Mumbai Indians camp.
Kumar Kartikeya was finally picked up by the team in 2022 and he made his debut against Rajasthan Royals. The left-arm unorthodox spinner made an impact for the side and picked up five wickets in four innings.
Kumar Kartikeya finally met his parents and shared the news on Twitter. The moment of meeting his parents was priceless for him and he added that he is “Unable to express my feelings.”
Met my family and mumma ❤️ after 9 years 3 months . Unable to express my feelings 🤐#MumbaiIndians #IPL2022 pic.twitter.com/OX4bnuXlcw
— Kartikeya Singh (@Imkartikeya26) August 3, 2022
He met his parents after 9 years and 3 months. A dream that finally came true.