Special practice helps Dinesh Karthik in extreme pressure situations, like the one on Friday night when he smashed a six and four to seal the game for India after nine runs were needed off the last six balls. When asked about his preparation for the same, India's designated finisher said creating scenarios in the nets helps him perform in the middle.
"Over a period of time, I've been practising for this, I've been doing it for RCB now and I'm happy doing it here. So it's a consistent routine for a period of time. I do a lot of scenario practices and also Rahul (Dravid) bhai and Vikram (Rathour) bhai have been accommodating of how I want to practice, and what kinds of shots I want to practice. I have been very specific with it. I don't practice too much but I like to keep it as specific as possible," Karthik said at the post-match press conference.
In a rain-curtailed second T20I against Australia in Nagpur on Friday, September 23, although it was Rohit who commanded the innings while chasing 90 runs in eight overs, the match was finished by Dinesh Karthik in the final over, with a six and a four off the first two balls of Daniel Sams. In the first game, Karthik came to bat after Axar Patel while on Friday he was sent ahead of the left-arm spinner.
"I think it's something that we are trying, there are times when there could be a couple of overs where an Axar Patel could target a spinner and take them on. So that is the kind of logic at that stage and having a left-hander and leg spinner bowling is a good matchup. So we try and use that option sometimes. So that's one of the reasons why we try and do it depending on how the game is unravelling at that point of time," said the 37-year-old.
Karthik played ahead of Rishabh Pant in the opener but a truncated game allowed the management to accommodate both in the playing eleven for the second T20. "Today we required four bowlers to finish off the 8 overs as each bowled two but we actually had five options. So when you have five options, that's the luxury of having a world-class all-rounder in Hardik Pandya," said Karthik.
"When Hardik Pandya is there in the 11, then 11 gets balanced very well, the extra batter or extra bowler can play, that's the luxury you have and that's what makes him so special." The wicketkeeper batter was all praise for his skipper Rohit Sharma who hit an unbeaten 46 off 20 balls in the run chase. The game was reduced to 8-over a side contest due to a wet outfield. It was terrific batting from Rohit Sharma.
On that pitch, against new ball bowlers playing such shots is not easy. It shows why he is such a great player, not only in Indian cricket but also in world cricket. His ability to play fast bowling is second to none in his world and that's what makes him really special as a batsman," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
