My strength is my flexibility. As a batsman, I have to adapt to

Hear, O seekers of resilience, the words of Dinesh Karthik, the seasoned cricketer who has walked the long and winding path of the game: “My strength is my flexibility. As a batsman, I have to adapt to different roles and numbers and frankly, I have been around for a long time now to understand different situations.” In this confession there lies not only the spirit of a sportsman, but the wisdom of life itself: that true strength is not always in unyielding force, but in the ability to bend, to adjust, to endure, and to rise again in ever-changing storms.

The origin of this truth lies in Karthik’s journey. From his debut as a young wicketkeeper-batsman to years of fluctuating fortunes, he has known both the heights of glory and the shadows of being overlooked. Others rose above him, and yet he did not vanish. Instead, he became as water—flowing into the roles demanded of him, reshaping his game to the needs of the moment. It was this flexibility, not stubborn insistence on a single place or identity, that gave him longevity in a world that devours the rigid and forgets the inflexible.

The ancients knew this same law. The reed in the wind survives the storm where the mighty oak is broken. The river, by yielding and flowing, carves valleys and sustains life, while the rock that resists is worn down. To be adaptable is to live with wisdom; to cling rigidly to one form is to invite ruin. Karthik’s words remind us that life is not a single position in a lineup, but many roles, many numbers, many circumstances—and those who endure are those who learn to adjust with grace.

History offers countless echoes. Consider the great Nelson Mandela, who, once imprisoned, could have clung to bitterness and remained hardened. Instead, he adapted—transforming his anger into reconciliation, his captivity into preparation. It was this flexibility of spirit, this ability to understand the changing situation, that allowed him to lead his people to freedom. Like Karthik in the arena of cricket, Mandela proved that adaptability is not weakness but the highest form of strength.

O listeners, take this lesson to heart: do not measure your worth by a single role, nor despair when life shifts you from one position to another. Learn, instead, to be flexible. Adapt to the moment, and know that every station teaches wisdom. For the one who learns many roles becomes master not of one skill, but of life itself. Rigidity may look strong, but it is brittle. Flexibility may look soft, but it endures, and in endurance there is greatness.

The strength of flexibility also carries humility. It admits, “I can change, I can learn, I can grow.” Many are destroyed by pride, refusing to leave the place they first stood. But those who bend to new challenges discover new depths within themselves. Karthik, through many seasons, proved that survival in the game—and in life—comes not from demanding the world adjust to you, but by adjusting to the demands of the world while holding firm to your inner core.

Practical is this counsel: when you face changing times, do not cling only to the past. Ask yourself: What does this moment demand of me? How can I adapt my skills, my heart, my vision, to rise to this new situation? Embrace opportunities, even when they are unfamiliar. Learn from each role you are given. And remember always that the one who is flexible can never truly be broken, for he finds his shape anew with every trial.

Thus remember the words of Dinesh Karthik: “My strength is my flexibility.” Let them remind you that life is not a straight line but a winding road, and that those who endure are those who bend without breaking, who learn without ceasing, and who find strength in every new shape demanded of them. For in flexibility lies not compromise, but the secret of survival, persistence, and ultimate triumph.