Former India opener Murali Vijay became emotional while speaking about former teammates Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin during the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) Annual Day event. Vijay praised Dinesh Karthik and called him one of Tamil Nadu’s greatest wicket-keeper batters. He also revealed that Karthik had helped him a lot in his career, even without knowing it. “Then I want to talk about Dinesh Karthik. Now, it might be a little weird, but ever since my childhood, I’ve been watching him. He’s one of Tamil Nadu’s best cricketers—batsman-keeper ever, in my opinion. He’s a dynamic personality, a dear friend,” Vijay said. “I enjoyed him as a fan because I have played with him from the non-striker’s end many times. I have not seen anybody play like him. He’s a fantastic cricketer. He has helped me a lot, without his knowledge. And I really want to thank him for that now,” he added. Vijay also shared a story from Ravichandran Ashwin’s early days. He recalled meeting Ashwin and his father during a morning practice session and said he knew the off-spinner was destined for success because of his passion for the game. “I watched Ashwin and I always thought, ‘He will achieve something.’ He showed such eagerness. He had a real madness for cricket and always wanted to learn and improve himself. To all the youngsters listening, he’s a great role model,” Vijay said.
Dinesh Karthik, Murali History
Vijay’s speech is going viral and many fans are taken by surprise as he has a reported history with Karthik. The two were once close friends and teammates for both Tamil Nadu and India. According to several media reports, Karthik married his childhood friend Nikita Vanjara in 2007. A few years later, reports claimed that Nikita and Vijay had fallen in love while Karthik and Nikita were still married. The marriage ended in divorce in 2012 and reports at the time also claimed that Nikita was pregnant. Soon after, Vijay and Nikita got married and have since built a family together. Karthik, meanwhile, later married Indian squash star Dipika Pallikal. Although the two cricketers have largely stayed away from speaking publicly about the episode, it remains one of the most talked-about personal stories in Indian cricket. That is why Vijay’s heartfelt praise for Karthik at the TNCA Annual Day event has left many fans surprised.
