ICC World Cup 2019 | It is extremely satisfying that I have managed to stay relevant all these years, says Dinesh Karthik

ICC World Cup 2019 | It is extremely satisfying that I have managed to stay relevant all these years, says Dinesh Karthik

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Indian veteran Dinesh Karthik says that he is delighted to have been selected for the upcoming World Cup and is thankful to the people close to him for making it possible. He went on to say he has confidence in his abilities and would be looking forward to represent his country in England.

The longest serving member of the present World Cup squad, Karthik’s journey with the national team has been a roller coaster ride. He has struggled to perform consistently for the Men in Blue, though his performances in the domestic circuit has seen him rack up the appearances. Now  that he will be India’s reserve keeper for the tournament, Karthik believes it is an achievement in itself that he has managed to be a topic of discussion.

“I would not still be playing if it was not for the blessings of my friends and family. Good or bad, if people still talk about you it means that you have managed to stay relevant. It is extremely satisfying that I have managed to stay relevant all these years and still trying hard to be part of the team,” he said.

Karthik has said that he was confident enough in his abilities to know that he would be picked for the mega event, and thankfully managed to perform at a high enough level to do justice to his talent and be a part of the squad.

“I was a bit shocked (after not being picked for Australia series) but I had faith that you know if it is meant to be it is meant to be. In the end, I was picked for my performances over the last two years,” Karthik said.

Getting limited opportunities in the middle over since 2017, Karthik has scored 425 runs at an impressive average of 47. With India yet not sure who their number four batsmen would be, having a variety of options with Karthik being one of them, the right-hander believes he is ready to make the most of his opportunities as and when they come.

“I have batted in various positions (over the last 24 months) and I have had decent success in those positions. But the key is not for me to look back at the last two years, the greatest tournament is going to happen and I now have the opportunity to play there,” he quoted.

“It doesn’t matter what the word is going around. What is important to me is that I have got an opportunity and there are people who believe in me and have faith in me, I need to go out there and stand up for my country,” he added.

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