Dinesh Karthik recalled the start of his journey in Indian cricket where despite starting off months before Mahendra Singh Dhoni in 2004, he soon fell down in the pecking order.
Karthik's inconsistency with the bat and gloves coincided with the start of one of the game's most illustrious international careers.
While Dhoni went on to achieve greatness as a wicketkeeper batsman and became a three major title-holding captain, Karthik couldn't cement his spot in the line-up.
The talented 35-year-old, who has played 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20Is in an unfulfilled career, remembers feeling under pressure whenever he turned up, knowing he had to make his opportunities count with a legend like Dhoni around.
"I think throughout my career there's one thing that's for sure -- it was the fact that there was a lot of pressure whenever I played games. Just the fact that I had to be a part of the side I had to be something, it had to be something special. I just couldn't do ordinary stuff and be a part of the side because there was an enigma named MS Dhoni around," said Karthik while speaking with Saurav Ghosal on 'Finish Line'.
"So when you have a player like that around, you have to seize the moments with something special. At times I seized it and at times I did not hence life is not always going to be a bed of roses, at times as an individual you do have to run the tough race as well," he added.
Karthik also spoke of his outstanding cameo in the final of the 2018 Nidahas Trophy tri-series in Sri Lanka against Bangladesh. Chasing 167, India were 133/5 with 34 needed off the last two overs when Karthik walked up to the crease. What followed remains one of T20's most dramatic finishes in recent history.
Karthik struck 29 of those from just 8 deliveries in an exhibition of cleanest ball-striking, including a six off the final ball to take India home.
"There was nervousness when I had to think this is what I need to do. There were a lot of emotions going on inside me. But I think what did help me was the fact that I was prepared."
"So, I knew one thing, all I needed to do was do what I have done until now which is to get into a good position. Make sure I get a good base and then react to the ball, but there was one belief that I believed that I wasn't going to hit a 4 (in the last ball when India needed five runs to win)."
"I was going to go for a six, I was going to go for all or nothing. So, I was going for a six no matter what at that stage. I didn't want a draw (tie). So, I think the preparation in terms of getting deep in the crease, setting myself up for a ball that could probably be a yorker again."
"But what helped me was I had practiced before to get into a good position and to make sure I went through with the ball. It was one of the toughest shots I played that evening over the covers," Karthik reminisced.
(Inputs from IANS)
