In the 10 runs needed in the last over, Dinesh Karthik played a key role for India to win the second T20I game against Australia by hitting a six and a four in only two balls, and Karthik has been categorized as India’s finisher in the briefest configuration.
In the 10 runs needed in the last over, Dinesh Karthik played a key role for India to win the second T20I game against Australia by hitting a six and a four in only two balls. 18 years into his international career, Karthik has been categorized as India’s finisher in the briefest configuration.
Explaining his routine, Karthik said,
“I have been practicing over a while for this, and I have been doing it for RCB and I am happy doing it here. It is a consistent routine over some time.
“When I get off time, I get a lot of scenario practice. Vikram Rathour and Rahul Dravid have also been accommodating of how I want to practice, and what shots I want to practice. I have been very specific about it, I don’t practice too much, I just keep it as specific as possible.”
Karthik heaped praise on his captain’s innings, and added,
“Rohit Sharma played brilliantly. I got two balls, so I just tried my best there. To play such shots against the new ball, against top-class new ball bowlers, is not easy. It shows why Rohit is such a big player in world cricket, not only Indian cricket. His ability to play against fast-bowling is second to none and that is what makes him truly special.”
While Karthik’s effective run as a finisher has helped India with figuring out one of the key issues of their batting, it has left Rishabh Pant’s position in the side under pressure.
The hard-hitting Pant could have a characteristic benefit of being a left-hander in a group where the other six players are generally not; his inconsistent form in the shortest format has left his place in concern.
With India playing an 8-over game, the group played both Pant and Karthik in the XI, although the former didn’t get a valuable chance to bat.
Explaining the rationale of playing only four frontline bowlers in the contest, Karthik lauded the team management’s decision to give Pant another opportunity.
“Everyone knows about Rishabh Pant’s quality, yes he could not bat but we all know what quality he brings to the table. We just needed four bowlers today, playing five bowlers in this game was a luxury. I think the Indian team made the right choice of playing Rishabh.”
Given the current form and combination India is shaping up with when fully fit, Axar Patel could be the only left-hander in the best XI.
Thus, there would be conceivable outcomes that the southpaw could bat higher up in the order to counter the matchups, similar to what occurred in the opening game of the ongoing series.
“It is something we are trying,” Karthik explained.
“There are times they (management) feel that there could be a couple of overs where Axar Patel could target the spinner and take them on. That was the kind of logic at that stage and having a left-hander when a leg-spinner is bowling, it is a good match-up. We try and use that option sometimes, depending on how the game is unraveling now.”