Eager to be a part of any tough situation to ensure team wins, asserts Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik believes that he thrives in tough situations to help the team win games and he is looking forward to more such opportunities. One of such situations that he had encountered was in the Nidahas Trophy final where Karthik played a blinder of an innings to ensure India won the game.
Dinesh Karthik's name has forever been synonymous with the Nidahas Trophy final where India needed 34 off the final two overs and Karthik scored 29 off just 8 balls, which included a last-ball six, to help the team win the tournament. However, all that was in the past and Karthik had been overlooked by the Indian selectors ever since the conclusion of the World Cup.
Back to the grind of domestic cricket, he led Tamil Nadu to the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy this season and played the role of an anchor and a brilliant finisher along the way. From the experience of it, Karthik stated that such pressure situations bring the best out of him.
"All that I have done is I have not tried anything different. I keep saying (myself) is to win matches. I want to be a part of that situation so that make it easy for youngsters," Karthik told ToI.
"...using my experience and my prowess I think it is important that we face all the tough situations and help the team make sure to cross the winning line," he further added.
Karthik, like skipper Virat Kohli, lauded Shanker Basu, the former strength and conditioning coach of the Indian cricket team for the kind of fitness that he has maintained so far and he believes that fitness has now become a lifestyle.
"Basu sir is everything. I would call up Anuradha (Primal Patterns management team) for my diet, Suresh sir (Primal Patterns) for my physio. Here (in Primal Patterns) everything for an athlete is taken care of," he said.
Karthik believes that Basu had played a big role in helping the Indian team bring in the fitness culture and his efforts are one of the main reasons why the team is doing well on the international stage.
"Earlier people used to say that the US, Australia (as fitness hub). I think we (India) have the potential now. It is not rocket science. It is very much possible to become World No 1 in strength and conditioning," Karthik concluded.
