Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik is hoping to justify his selection once again after getting selected for the One Day International series against Sri Lanka, starting from 10 December.
Previously, Dinesh Karthik got a national call back in the squad for the home series against New Zealand, and he also justice his selection by playing a good 37-run knock and then a match-winning 64* in the first two ODIs. Now, the Tamil Nadu keeper is looking to make the most of the given opportunity as well.
The right-hander, who made his debut for Tamil Nadu at 17, entering a crucial phase of his career especially in One Day arena, as Team India have been lined up for several overseas tours in a bid to find the best possible combination for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2019 in England.
And Karthik believes if he keeps making runs in the domestic circuit his chances of playing for his country alive. Having played at every slot from opening to No. 7, Dinesh is ready to play at No. 4 if he gets a chance.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said, “I can say only for myself because I’ve batted for Tamil Nadu and in the IPL at No. 4. I can confidently say that I’m very confident to bat in that position… I understand what needs to be done and how to go about it and in the experience comes in really handy then.”
On being asked about India’s struggle to find a permanent member for the position, Karthik replied, “It’s a little hard to say, in terms of why people haven’t been able to nail that spot, I wouldn’t be able to pinpoint just one aspect. The No. 4 batsman is under the scanner because nobody has probably done as well to seal the spot. So whoever is there is under the spotlight. That's just about it. It's pretty simple if I can do well if I'm able to be consistent and able to do what the team management wants me to do, then there won't be any scrutiny per say.”
He further added that the greatest moment of his career was World T20 victory in 2007, and team’s success matters more to him than his individual records. Karthik added, “If you were to ask me the greatest moment of my career, it has to be World T20 in 2007. On a personal note, I didn’t have a great tournament but just that fact that we won the tournament and that gave me a lot of memories. It just feels good that I was part of that. Even the Test series in England in 2007. Yes, I did well personally but more than that, me contributing to the team’s success gives me a lot of satisfaction.”
When asked about his future career plans, Karthik replied that he's happy to take things as they come instead of setting goals for himself. He concluded by saying, “I'm not someone who sets goals. It's not something that's worked for me. As cliched as it may sound, it's more about taking it one day at a time. That's what helps me focus and that's what I do. I'm not someone who sets goals. It's not something that's worked for me.”
India squad for ODI series vs Sri Lanka:
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Dinesh Karthik, MS Dhoni (WK), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul
