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BACKTRACK...
Murali Kartik can be regarded as one of the unluckiest cricketers in India. The 27-year-old left-arm spinner, who represents the Railways in the Ranji Trophy, has been the best spinner on the domestic circuit for the last few years, but the selectors' refusal to look beyond Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh has seen him fight a losing battle.
His first step in international cricket was when he made his Test debut against South Africa at Mumbai in February 2000. He, however, figured in just four Test matches and was occasionally picked for One-Day Internationals. Recently, though, he has consistently made the Indian ODI side. But even the dwindling skills of Anil Kumble have not afforded him the opportunity to grab a regular place in it.
Earlier, there was a lot of talk about Kartik's attitude on the field, but in recent times the orthodox spinner has put his troubles behind. In the TVS Cup tri-series, without doubt, he's been the best Indian spinner.
Test debut: vs South Africa, February 2000
Tests: 4, Wickets: 9, Avg: 34.33, S/R: 98.30
ODI debut: vs Zimbabwe, March 2002
ODIs: 8, Wickets: 7, Avg: 51.28, Eco: 4.66
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