Indian batter Dinesh Karthik on Friday (17th June) talked about his match-winning performance in the fourth T20I against South Africa in Rajkot. He said that he’s feeling secure and fuzzy and there’s a lot of calmness in the dressing room.
After being 2-0 down in the series, India made a staggering comeback to level the series in the next two matches. They thumped South Africa in Visakhapatnam in the third game and then followed it with a massive 82-run victory in the recently concluded fourth T20I.
However, the massive victory in Rajkot wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of Karthik. The keeper-batter is writing a story of his own. In what has been his comeback series, the right-hander has made his presence felt.
Read Also: WATCH – ‘Want to be that guy who can help Team India win tough games’, says Dinesh Karthik
In the fourth T20I, Karthik was awarded Player of the Match for his heroics. He scored his maiden fifty in the T20Is and helped his team register the win. The Tamil Nadu batter came to bat when India found themselves tottering at 81/4.
Karthik (55 off 27 balls) along with Hardik Pandya (46 off 31 balls) stitched a 65-run partnership and helped their side post a total of 169/6 on the board after they were in a spot of bother.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Dinesh Karthik said that he’s feeling good and secure in the setup and his 2.0 version is thinking better and is assessing the situations better.
“Just feels good. I am feeling very secure in this setup. In the last game, things didn't go according to plan, but I went and expressed myself today. I think DK is thinking a little better. He is able to assess situations better and that comes with practice. Credit to my coach. They bowled brilliantly upfront and made it tough for us. It was a tough pitch to bat on. It was hard to hit boundaries,” Dinesh Karthik said.
Karthik credited his side’s openers for providing them good starts and also revealed the conversation with Hardik Pandya when he came to bat. He added that being a RCB player, Bangalore, where the final game will take place, is a home ground for him.
Read Also: Cricket fraternity lauds as Dinesh Karthik’s maiden T20I fifty helps India to 169/6 in 4th T20I
“Our openers have usually been kind enough to get us off to good starts. When I went in Hardik told me to take my time. It was important that players who have been around for long need to stand up on such pitches. Bangalore is a home ground for me. I haven't played with RCB, but have played a lot over there,” he said.
Karthik credited head coach Rahul Dravid for bringing a sense of calmness to the dressing room even after they lost the first two games.
“It is good to see a bilateral series going down to the final match. To see the pressure being absorbed in the third and fourth games was something we would relish. Credit to Rahul Dravid; there is a certain sense of calmness. The dressing room is a calm place right now. It is important to learn to embrace pressure. It feels secure and fuzzy. That clarity and the environment helped,” he said.
The fifth match of the series, which will also be the decider, is slated to take place on Sunday (19th June) at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
(Star Sports inputs)
