Dinesh Karthik said that India’s performances in their recent tour of New Zealand showcased the team’s ability to take defeats in their stride.
With over 130 international matches under his belt across formats, 33-year-old Dinesh Karthik is one of the senior members of the squad. (AP Photo/David Rowland)
Dinesh Karthik said that India’s performances in their recent tour of New Zealand reflected the team’s ability to adapt to situations and bounce back from disappointments. “I believe, this team takes defeats in their stride and has the ability to bounce back with intent immediately,” Karthik is quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
“We were rolled over in Hamilton, we were then reduced to 18/4 in the next match, but the guys fought. They dug in and eventually we won the game. We learnt from our mistakes in Hamilton and addressed them immediately, we saw off the pressure situations and batted the entire innings. In the first T20I against New Zealand, we conceded 220 odd, but in the next game we hit back and restricted them to around 160,” said the wicketkeeper-batsman.
Karthik, who made his debut for India in 2004, was played in the limited overs series against Australia and New Zealand as a finisher. He was also deployed on the field with MS Dhoni taking his regular place behind the stumps. Karthik was all praise for the former captain’s abilities behind the stumps.
“When it comes to keeping, well, isn’t he unbelievable? Some of the stumpings he pulls off are stunning, to say the least. I don’t think it is easily replicable, it is one of the kind. Look at his head position, his balance, all these technical things are so perfect, and there is so much to learn,” Karthik said.
With over 130 international matches under his belt across formats, the 33-year-old is one of the senior members of the squad and he said that his ability to adapt to different batting positions comes with this experience. “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.”
“Mindset is important, I should always think about finishing games from any position. A finisher doesn’t always mean you have to take the game deep and then bash to finish. It is all about understanding situations and then adjusting your game with the aim that you have to get the job done. I think this is one area we pride ourselves on, and we want to be flexible as a batting unit,” he said.
