LUCKNOW, Oct. 31 -- Every young cricketer's story has a turning point and for Uttar Pradesh's promising left-arm spinner Kartik Yadav it isn't different as that moment came when his coach Amit Pal suggested he start bowling instead of batting during his early days in the game at the Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium in Prayagraj. Today, with 18 wickets in the ongoing Under-23 Col CK Nayudu Trophy, Kartik is emerging as a vital young talent in the state set-up, but his path has been shaped as much by chance as by perseverance. Kartik began his cricketing pursuit as a batter, spending long hours at the nets learning to drive and defend. In fact, his focus was always on scoring runs rather than taking wickets even in school matches. However, coach Amit Pal, who observed his rhythm and strong left-arm action during practice sessions, encouraged him to try his hand at spin bowling. What started as an experiment soon turned into a revelation. Kartik found instant comfort with the ball, discovering a natural ability to control flight and deceive batters through subtle variations. "Yes, I began as a left-hand batter for almost five-six months of Pal Sir's training when he asked me to bowl too, and soon I realised my bowling potential," said Kartik on Thursday a day after bagging eight wickets in the match against Karnataka in Meerut on Wednesday. Taking that advice seriously, he decided to build on his newfound skill by shifting base to a cricket academy in Ghaziabad. The move proved decisive. It was there that Kartik began honing his bowling skills under stricter routines and competitive training environments. His willingness to reinvent himself displayed rare maturity for a teenager and laid the foundation for what he is achieving today. Kartik's development soon bore results in the Under-19 level competitions. In one standout match, he picked up nine wickets against Delhi in a Cooch Behar Trophy match, leaving a lasting impression on opponents and selectors alike. Despite that remarkable feat, he found himself overlooked across formats for a considerable period. But instead of losing heart, he used the time to strengthen his bowling rhythm, build consistency, and sharpen his accuracy in long spells. When the Nayudu Trophy season finally brought him back into the spotlight, Kartik seized the opportunity with determination. With 18 wickets to his name so far, he has combined restraint and aggression cleverly, often providing breakthroughs when his team needed them the most. "Red-ball cricket has always been different and here you have the liberty to test your skills as well as variations, but the white-ball cricket is altogether a different ball game as there you need to give minimum runs in four overs," said Kartik whose control over line and length, especially on unhelpful surfaces, shows the patience that defines effective left-arm spin. A devoted admirer of Ravindra Jadeja, Kartik models his style on the Indian star's approach-using accuracy, athleticism and an attacking mindset to influence matches. He admires Jadeja's ability to adapt to any format and aims to shape himself into a similar all-round contributor in the years ahead. "Always dream to become an all-rounder like Ravindra Jadeja, who has been a big name in all formats of the game," said Kartik, the son of a CRPF official. "I keep watching all the matches of Jadeja and even study his bowling variations through his recordings," added Kartik....