 "Dinesh Karthik slams Sulakshan Kulkarni after TN coach blames captain Sai Kishore for Ranji semis loss")
Dinesh Karthik has hit back at Tamil Nadu coach Sulakshan Kulkarni after the former cricketer slammed his captain R Sai Kishore for Ranji Trophy semifinal loss to Mumbai on Monday at the Bandra Kurla Complex Ground. After opting to bat first, TN were bowled out for 146 and 162 in the match, suffering a defeat by an innings and 70 runs.
After TN’s defeat, former Mumbai batter Kulkarni laid the blame on Sai Kishore’s decision to bat first in the match.
“I always speak straightforward - we lost the match at 9 o’clock on day one,” Kulkarni said post the defeat. “The moment I saw the wicket I exactly knew what we were going to get.”
Kulkarni’s comments have not gone down well with Tamil Nadu cricket fraternity.
India and Tamil Nadu cricketer Dinesh Karthik disapproved the coach’s words and said that Kulkarni has thrown Sai Kishore under the bus with his comments.
“This is so disappointing from the coach ..instead of backing the captain who has brought the team to the semis after 7 years and thinking it’s a start for good things to happen, the coach has absolutely thrown his captain and team under the bus,” Karthik posted on X.
Former India and Tamil Nadu batters Hemang Badani and WV Raman also supported Sai Kishore and shared words of encouragement.
“Oh boy the coach Sulakshan Kulkarni has thrown the captain Sai Kishore under the bus. Whatever happens in a team environment stays there and you don’t set the captain on fire and go public about this. Good coaches don’t do that,” Badani said on X.
Impact Shorts
More Shorts“Well tried @saik_99 and team. Has been a season of trials and tribulations. But importantly, you adopted the right approach. Like truth can hurt you at times, doing the right thing might be disappointing as well. But hang in there and march on,” Raman said on X.
Well tried @saik_99 and team. Has been a season of trials and tribulations. But importantly, you adopted the right approach. Like truth can hurt you at times, doing the right thing might be disappointing as well. But hang in there and march on. @TNCACricket #cricket#TNvMUM
— WV Raman (@wvraman) March 5, 2024
Despite the semis defeat, Sai Kishore had a good time in Ranji, captaining Tamil Nadu for first time as the side qualified for knockout for the first time since 2016-17 season. In the Elite division, Sai Kishore is also the highest wicket-taker with 53 scalps in nine matches.
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
