Mumbai, Feb 23 (IANS): Actor Karthik Jayaram, who is known for playing the role of Raavana in TV mythological show 'Siya Ke Ram' reveals his love for playing cricket.

He said: "Cricket is my first love and will never break up. I have been playing cricket professionally for the last 26 years now. I'm the Vice Captain of the team Karnataka Bulldozers 2024 in the Celebrity Cricket League (CCL). I'm happy with the responsibility and that is currently keeping me busy practicing the game."

For Karthik, who is a cricket lover and enjoys playing the game since his childhood, CCL is like an opportunity gifted to him by his acting profession.

“It is always exciting for me to join everyone at CCL, a wonderful tournament where we happen to meet Indian film fraternity from different regional entertainment industries. The love, the camaraderie and the excitement for the game unites us and this is what keeps me coming back to the league,” he said.

Karthik said that it is a great platform to associate with and every time he meets his “brothers at such events and most importantly when we try to resolve the language barriers among us, it truly warms my heart with joy.”

“Apart from that, it also helps us in developing our image and connecting with new audience. Fans enjoy watching their favourite stars together, making the visibility high of the match in India," he added.

The Celebrity Cricket League (CCL) combines cricket with well-known personalities from the entertainment industry. Notable figures such as Salman Khan, Sohail Khan, Sonu Sood, Riteish Deshmukh, Mohanlal, Bobby Deol, and Manoj Tiwari participate, making it a distinctive event in Indian entertainment field. CCL seamlessly merges sports and entertainment with thrilling matches.

On the work front, Karthik, who was last seen essaying the role of Iblis in Hindi TV show 'Ali Baba: Dastaan-E-Kabul' is looking forward to his upcoming Kannada movie 'Kaada'.