Ranji Trophy | Karnataka ’keeper Kruthik proves his mettle

These are early days in First Class cricket for Kruthik Krishna. But featuring in his second Ranji Trophy fixture, against Mumbai, the 23-year-old wicket-keeper proved a point with six catches and a stumping.

But an admirer of M.S. Dhoni and Wriddhiman Saha, Kruthik believes that his journey has just begun. On a rather challenging MCA-BKC ground surface, life wasn’t easy for the stumpers, but the youngster believed in his abilities and stood like a rock behind the stumps.

However, he admitted that keeping to Prasidh Krishna was a challenge as his deliveries had that “extra bit of bounce and the ball was wobbling”. But even then, Kruthik showed no signs of trouble.

Hailing from Mandya in southern Karnataka, he started playing the game there before moving to Bengaluru a few years ago. “I moved to Bengaluru after COVID, because it was getting tough in Mandya in terms of practice,” he said.

While he initially followed Dhoni, Kruthik looked up to Saha as he grew up. “When I turned 16, I looked up to Saha, because he was one of India’s finest wicket-keepers. In any conditions, he would create the chances, and that’s what I learned from him,” he said, adding that he had caught up with the former gloveman at the NCA seven years ago.

“We had a bit of a chat. I asked him about his wicketkeeping and the skills, and also wanted to know what were the things that were needed to develop as a ’keeper, so I got his insights,” he added.