Veteran India discard Murali Kartik will be playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore in the sixth edition of the Indian Premier League after Pune Warriors released him from their squad on Friday.
Left-arm spinner Kartik has earlier played for Kolkata Knight Riders before being picked by Pune Warriors during the fourth edition of the cash-rich league.
Consistency has been the real problem for this temperamental spinner, who has played his part in some vital games while letting the teams that he has played for down in a lot of other matches. His economy rate is close to seven and has taken 93 wickets in 127 Twenty20 matches. He has played eight Tests and 37 ODIs for India.
According to IPL sources, Kartik was sold to RCB at his previous base price of $ 400,000.
The 36 and half year old Kartik's performance has also gone downhill for his first-class side Railways although he has been regular feature in the county circuit till last year.
Not to forget that he is certainly not the best among the fielders which is an absolute must in T20 cricket and also has rarely made contributions with the willow lower down the order.
Photograph: Pal Pillai/Getty Images
