dinesh karthik
Cricket

“At this moment in time, pressure is a privilege,” says Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik has had a fantastic trip over the previous two years. Karthik’s international career was assumed to be gone after a dismal IPL season with KKR in 2021, when he was part of the commentary team. However, the 37-year-old believed in himself, and his devotion and enthusiasm for the game led to his triumphant comeback to the Indian set-up.

According to batter Dinesh Karthik, the numerous obstacles offered by the circumstances in the Caribbean would aid India’s preparation for the T20 World Cup in Australia. After playing the first three T20Is in the West Indies, the teams have relocated to Lauderhill, Florida, for the series’ last two games this weekend.

Karthik was among those who climbed above the two-paced pitch at Tarouba for the opening T20I, taking advantage of the uneven field characteristics. India faced a heavy cross wind in the second and third matches at St Kitts. After failing to adjust in the second T20I, India fared far better in the third to grab a 2-1 series lead.

“I think I have said it a lot, and I will keep saying it, I think this is one of the best team environments I have been in because of the consistency and continuity they seem to be giving to players. They are not judged on an everyday basis, and they are given time; they are given the opportunity to fail. I think it is very important to give players the opportunity to fail and then move on to the next player,”  said Karthik before the fourth T20I against West Indies.

dinesh karthik

“I think it is very interesting because even in the World Cup straightaway the three grounds that come to my mind are Sydney – the sides are slightly smaller and the straights are longer – Adelaide, we all know that the sides are very small and again, the straights are long, whereas in Melbourne, it’s the exact opposite – the straights are short and the sides are very big. So, obviously, we are going to be encountering different grounds wherever we are going to be playing, so the challenges are going to be different,” he added.

Karthik has gone on to become a consistent finisher for the Indian squad after hitting 330 runs in the IPL 2022. In the first T20I against the West Indies, his unbeaten 41 off 19 balls helped India score 190 runs.

With the additions of Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja to the team, Karthik’s future remains to be determined. Despite the strain, Karthik is enjoying his cricket and striving to improve. The wicket-keeper batter has the support of the team’s management. He will play in the final two Twenty20 Internationals against the Caribbean, and his performance will be examined.

Twelve Indian players, including Karthik, have already been confirmed for the T20 World Cup, leaving seven or eight hopefuls to compete for the remaining three seats. Given India’s talented pool, Karthik believes it will be difficult for the selectors to narrow down the final 15.

“Look, right now in the Indian team, we have the potential to put out two teams or maybe even three teams, in terms of the number of players available,” he stated. “I don’t think many countries can boast of that, so to get just 15 players playing from a good lot of 40 players, there are going to be 20-25 players that are going to think: ‘I could have made that team,’ he exclaimed.

Karthik praised India’s team management for creating a climate that provided players with security and the opportunity to develop into their responsibilities, despite shortcomings.

dinesh karthik“Pressure is a privilege at this point in time. As a cricketer, as a sportsperson, it is something which is given only when you are playing at the highest level, and people expect certain things from you, so I am happy”, Karthik told reporters.

Farzeen K

Farzeen K

farzeen

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.