Luxury to be home when hundreds are homeless, expresses Murali Kartik
Former Indian cricketer Murali Kartik, who sporadically represented the national team from 2000 to 2007, says it is a luxury to be at home when hundreds of people are stranded all over the country homeless, in this ongoing crisis. Karthik further discussed his injury woes back in the early 2000s.
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.
The 43-year-old emphasized on the importance of staying at home in these times of crisis and stated how people must be grateful to have this opportunity to rest, given there are millions out there in the roads, homeless, struggling to survive in these tough times.
āIt is a luxury to be at home when you hear of hundreds of homeless stranded all over the country. There would be issues to sort out in times to come but presently the challenge is to protect yourself and others. It pains all of us to see so many people struggling. To me the most important thing is to stay at home," Karthik told Sportstar.
āI am shocked to see people venturing out for walks as if these are normal times. If you want to walk why canāt 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 donāt 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."
Kartik, who has had injuries in the past due to which he had to spend most of the time at home, feels that it has helped him cope with the lockdown phase. He reflected on the dark phases of his career and revealed how injuries ensured that he only had a stop-start international career.
āI 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 onĀ Ā P. V. Narasimha Rao, lined up to read next. He concluded by once again pleading the people of India to stay home.
āI am currently reading The Lone Empress on the life of Jayalalithaa. Next will be Half-Lion on P. V. Narasimha Rao. I have one more to read ā Macbeth by Jo Nesbo. I have to watch some movies. We can all find ways to be busy even when confined indoors. I just want to appeal to people to stay at home. Please,ā added Kartik.
