KKR kick off their campaign at home against RCB today and Dinesh Karthik is all upbeat to lead his franchise with all his international experience.
Fresh from his 8 ball 29 which helped India win the Nidahas Trophy title against Bangladesh in Sri Lanka earlier this year, Karthik said that he will look sto stay calm as a captain and drive his troops in the season.
“I think as a captain I will be looking to stay as calm as I can. Lot of times I am sure I will be put under the pump and I have to be able to react in a calm manner without getting too emotional about it,” Karthik told reporters on the eve of KKR’s opening game against Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Eden Gardens on Sunday.
“That game is a good takeaway for me from that game. It gives me a lot of confidence in my batting skills. It’s important that I keep using that as an experience where I can propel to do better things in the future" added Karthik.
Meanwhile, KKR have to do away with the services of Mitchell Starc whom they roped in at the auctions. England pacer Tom Curran has been named as his replacement in the side of whom Karthik has high expectations. “He (Starc) is probably one of the best bowlers in the world and T20 cricket,” Karthik said when asked if Curran is a like for like replacement for the 28-year-old who missed Australia’s fourth South Africa due to the injury. “So there cannot be a like for like replacement for him. Tom Curran is an able prospect and he is and has done phenomenally well for England and we are excited to have him in the squad,” the newly-appointed skipper added.
Karthik was asked how he will handle pressure of expectations, especially with his predecessor Gautam Gambhir being so successful. “It’s a fresh start for all of us. We have a new set of players here so pressure will always be there in IPL, there is no running away from it. You have to embrace it and enjoy it. that’s what I am looking to do,” Karthik said. Quizzed about any plans to get his national team captain Kohli out early, Karthik said, “He is a good player. We will try our best to get him out and like any other player, he is a match winner. As a unit, we will be trying to remove him as early as we can" Karthik concluded saying.
