Luxury to be home when hundreds are homeless, expresses Murali Kartik

Murali Kartik, who aggregated 644 wickets from 203 first-class matches in what was a decorated cricketing career, has a rich experience of the game and, after announcing retirement, has made himself comfortably at the commentary box. But as the country is in the midst of a nationwide lockdown, in order to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus that has already infected over 900 people in India, Karthik has some valuable advice to the people of the nation.

“I am shocked to see people venturing out for walks as if these are normal times. If you want to walk why can’t you within your house? There is a compelling reason why the authorities want us to say at home. People have to realise that this is an enemy which moves in stealthily. You don’t know how it will come, from where it will come. If you have a bed and a home, just stay at home. You can read, connect with friends, family and yourself. You can do what you could not for so many years."

“I have had so many injuries which kept me in isolation. When I had my knee and shoulder operated I could not move out. I once got hit in Pakistan and I had a jaw-bone surgery. Once I was on the bed for two months. The back injury kept me out of the 2001 V. V. S. Laxman-Harbhajan Singh series (against Australia). All those occasions were spent at home."

Whilst people are killing time in different ways, be it via watching films or bingeing on Netflix shows or just sleeping, Karthik has his own way of going about things. The 43-year-old revealed that he is an avid reader and has 'Half-Lion', a book on  P. V. Narasimha Rao, lined up to read next. He concluded by once again pleading the people of India to stay home.