IPL’s influence on Indian cricket cannot be limited to T20s alone, feels Murali Kartik
Murali Kartik has stated that the IPL has not limited its influence to T20s but has had a far bigger impact across all formats for the youngsters. Kartik has also added that Brendon McCullum's innings in the IPL opener was a sensational inning and he knew that he was part of something special.
April 17 marked the 12-year anniversary of one of the greatest T20 innings ever played and also the start of a special journey in the way cricket is played. Brendon McCullum seized the Chinnaswamy audience on the opening day of the very first edition of the IPL with a 73-ball 158 that didn't just give the impetus the tournament needed but also had a great impact on the youngsters. Murali Kartik, who was a part of the KKR line-up in that game, stated that the players are now exposed to high-quality, world-class cricketers, and having rubbed shoulders with them in the IPL, made them confident across formats.
“IPL’s influence on Indian cricket cannot be limited to T20s alone. Look at what it has done to the youngsters across formats... The boys are exposed to high-quality, world-class cricketers, and having rubbed shoulders with them in the IPL, they are not overawed when the time comes to take them on at the international level. It has helped the Indian players improve their attitude towards fielding and fitness. We’ve been phenomenal in those two departments lately,” Kartik told Sportstar.
McCullum’s 158 for KKR was so brutal in its own way that it had a devastating effect on the slow Royal Challengers Bangalore batting line-up, who opened with Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer - two anomalies in the T20 cricket. Not only that, as Kartik revealed, but it had also sent shivers down the spine of his own teammates.
“In the years that followed, I knew I had been part of something special. Post that game itself, we realised that this was going to be something big because of what one man, Brendon McCullum, did on that day. He was just sensational. Nobody even came close to him; I reckon the next best score was 20 (by Ricky Ponting).
“I just took two catches and cheered from the sidelines... We didn’t have to do anything else because of the way McCullum played! I remember chatting with Ajit during the match... We were wondering if we should be happy that Baz was scoring so many runs or be scared because it was our turn to bowl next. There are games where you make 120-130 and the opposition also starts slowly... But when you get to a big total like we did that night (222/3), even the opposition batsmen will go hammer and tongs at our bowling attack, smashing sixes and fours,” recalled Kartik.