Watch: MI spinner Kumar Kartikeya gets match-ball signed from MS Dhoni, flaunts prized possession – Firstcricket News, Firstpost

Kumar Kartikeya, who was signed by Mumbai Indians as a replacement for injured Arshad Khan, has become one of the franchise’s key bowlers this IPL.

During his recent fixture against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium, Kartikeya played a pivotal role in restricting the defending champions to a paltry 97. He picked up two wickets and conceded just 22 runs in his 4 overs on Thursday. The left-arm spinner picked up Dwayne Bravo’s wicket, who was trying to build a good partnership with CSK skipper MS Dhoni.

As Kartikeya has turned out to be one of the rising stars for MI, he recently got his golden opportunity to flaunt his prized possession. The gift was a signed match ball by the legendary Dhoni.

Ever since Dhoni retired from international cricket, he has made it a point to connect with younger players post the match to pass on his wisdom and experience. This time too, the CSK captain was seen interacting with a few youngsters and it was Kartikeya’s good luck that helped him get some valuable advice from one of the sharpest cricketing minds.

Apart from sharing his knowledge, Dhoni made Kartikeya’s day by gifting him a signed match ball. The 24-year-old spinner was then seen flaunting the signed match ball as he walked up the stairs of the Mumbai Indians dressing room.

The official handle on MI shared a video of the same wherein Kartikeya is seen displaying his cherished possession in front of the camera.

Watch the video here:
Dhoni was also seen signing jerseys of support staff and players from either side after the match. Few images have surfaced online which captured Dhoni singing the jerseys of CSK as well as MI with a huge smile on his face. Here are some images:    

The young spinner from Uttar Pradesh – Kartikeya, has so far played nine first-class matches, eight T20s, and 19 List A games. Before joining MI, he was part of the net-bowling group for the franchise. Kartikeya joined the Mumbai team for the price of Rs 20 lakh.

With nine defeats so far in the cash-rich league, Mumbai Indians are out of the race for the playoffs. Their next match is against Sunrises Hyderabad on 17 May.

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