I'm very, very keen to do so - Dinesh Karthik on his World Cup return for India

Veteran India batter Dinesh Karthik has said that he is open for selection for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. The veteran keeper-batter has enjoyed a great first half of the IPL 2024 season with the bat and threw himself into the selection consideration for a finisher’s role as well.

“At this stage in my life, it would be the greatest feeling for me to represent India [at the T20 World Cup]. I’m very, very keen to do so. There is nothing bigger in my life other than representing India in this T20 World Cup,” Karthik said on the eve of RCB’s clash against Kolkata Knight Riders.

“I’m 100% ready” – Dinesh Karthik

“I also feel there are three very, very stable, honest people who are at their helm to decide what should be the best Indian team for the World Cup. Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma, and Ajit Agarkar. And I’m completely with them. I respect any decision that they take. But all I can say is I’m 100% ready. And you know I’ll do everything I can to be on that flight to the World Cup,” he further added.

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Dinesh Karthik also started the last T20 World Cup in Australia but he was left out in India’s final two matches of the competition, including the semifinal to Rishabh Pant. He has not featured for India since that tournament and after a poor campaign with the bat in IPL 2023 – 140 runs in 13 innings at 134.61 SR as well.

Meanwhile, Dinesh Karthik, who has a very specific training schedule with long-time coach Abhishek Nayar, added that he was enjoying his role as a finisher for RCB.

Dinesh Karthik has been in sublime form

“Look, I think these days as a player, you need to understand your strengths. I’m not [Andre] Russell or [Kieron] Pollard who can mishit a ball and get a six for it. So I need to understand how I can beat gaps, what sort of balls I can hit for boundaries,” he added.

“And I realised there was a certain pattern in which bowlers were bowling to me. So, I needed to try and work out a solution for that. And hence, when I practice, I try to understand, okay, this is what they’re going to bowl at me. How am I going to get a boundary visualizing a field that is going to be in place for me? So I worked like that, and I worked backwards, and that’s helped me, you know, really learn a couple of shots more, you know, at the back end. It’s been great to go out there and express myself, and it’s been thoroughly enjoyable to do what I’m doing for RCB as a finisher.”