5 Indian cricketers who deserved a longer run

#4 Murali Kartik

Murali Kartik's career, unfortunately, coincided with Harbhajan Singh's peak

Murali Kartik first announced his arrival when he spun a web with his economical run up and guile around the South Africans, taking 4 for 40 and 3 for 30 in an Under-19 Test. Much was spoken about the Railways cricketer who was touted to be the next partner to Anil Kumble by filling in for the ageing Venkatapathy Raju.

However, with the entry of Harbhajan Singh and Saurav Ganguly as a captain, the left arm spinner played understudy to him.

For a career spanning 14 years, 37 ODIs and eight Tests seem far too few. Like a perpetual son from a fairytale, Kartik patiently waited for the decline of the Kumble-Harbhajan duo. However, with the selectors looking to groom the young guns, Kartik saw his place going to newcomers Amit Mishra and Pragyan Ojha.

In his short career, Kartik’s best moment came at the Wankhede where he ran through the Australians, taking seven wickets in the match to bowl India to a famous win in 2004. However, after this match-winning performance, Kartik only got to play just one Test more before being dispatched to the periphery.

Former India batsman, VVS Laxman even went on to say that if given his fair share of opportunities, Kartik could have been a match-winner that would have picked up 300 Test wickets. However, for now, Kartik is just another to add to India's long list of could haves and should haves.