Karn's career comes full circle in Nagpur

NAGPUR: Life has come full circle for Karn Sharma. Two years ago, he was struggling. He wasn't the part of Railways Ranji Trophy side and was also axed from their one-day squad. He had been part of Royal Challengers Bangalore but didn't get much opportunity. Then came a lifeline — the BCCI's under-22 tournament turned into an under-25 tournament, and Karn was included in the Railways 'A' side.
Sharma grabbed the opportunity with both hands. He began with a bang, bagging 11 wickets for 119 runs in the opening match against Vidarbha in Nagpur. He claimed 48 wkts at an average of 15.6 in seven matches, inclusive of four five-wicket and two ten-wicket hauls in the Col CK Nayudu Trophy.
His performances earned him the MA Chidambaram Trophy in the under-25 category and forced Railways selectors to take a look at him again. Sharma was included in the Ranji squad and took 21 wickets in three matches. He hasn't look back since. His performances caught the eye of Sunrisers Hyderabad and for the last two years Sharma has been integral part of the IPL franchise.
"No doubt that tournament was a lifeline for me. Incidentally, I started the journey from Nagpur and have now got the news of my Test call-up here. It's great to be selected for Tests. It's the ultimate format. Every cricketer dreams of donning whites for his country and I am no different.
"However, I am not thinking too much about it. I don't want to put unnecessary pressure on myself. I will take each match at a time. At the moment, I am focusing on the last two One-dayers," Sharma told TOI after his match-winning performance (3-47 & 32*) against Madhya Pradesh in the Central Zone Vijay Hazare tournament here on Monday.
Sharma has been included in the 19-member Test squad for the Australian tour. He has also been included in the last two One-dayers against Sri Lanka.
Though he is very successful in the shorter formats, the Meerut lad always enjoyed bowling in the longer format. "I remember (VVS) Laxman, (Tom) Moody and (Krishnamachari) Srikanth sir said to me during IPL-6 that I could play for the country in Tests. The longer format tests your skills and temperament. It also gives you the opportunity to come back. If get the chance I will try my best," Sharma said.
The 27-year-old said he was hoping to get the call after performing well for the last two years. "I was expecting a call, especially after Rahul sir (Dravid) had spoken some good words about me. I have improved a lot. I have been bowling a lot in the nets with a single stump to different batsmen. It's a reward for my hard work. I have spoken a lot to my seniors like Sanjay Bangar and Abhay Sharma on how I can improve. Their inputs have been valuable," he said.
While he has been selected as a third spinner, Sharma considers himself an all-rounder. "I have always been an all-rounder. It's just that I have been bowling a lot in the last two years. I have batted in the top six for Railways. Whatever role team wants to give me, I ready for the challenge," he said.
Last year, he was the costliest domestic player at the IPL auction, earning 3.75 crore. "My parents and my wife Nidhi help me keep my feet on the ground. My routines haven't changed. It's the same," he said.