Dinesh Karthik expresses disappointment after being snubbed

11/25/2016

Dinesh Karthik has blamed his finger injury for preventing him from a national team comeback after Parthiv Patel was picked for the Mohali Test. Despite a better batting average than Parthiv's this season, Karthik was not preferred by Anil Kumble due to his lack of wicketkeeping experience of late.

"Regarding Dinesh, at the moment, I don't think he is keeping wickets for Tamil Nadu and I am not sure why that is the case. But, at the moment, from what I gather he is not keeping wickets," Indian coach Anil Kumble said on Thursday as he explained why Dinesh Karthik was overlooked while searching for replacements for the injured Wriddhiman Saha.

But Karthik revealed that a hairline fracture he suffered during Tamil Nadu's Ranji Trophy tie against Mumbai kept him away from donning his keeping gloves.

"It's a setback and I'm disappointed. The injury came at the wrong time. I suffered a finger injury during the first match against Mumbai,” Karthik told TOI on Friday.

The 31-year old expressed his sadness at being snubbed by the Indian team since he had worked hard on his wicketkeeping skills after the injury.

"It was a hairline fracture in the middle-finger on the right hand and yet I decided to keep wickets in the next two matches. It got worse and I was advised not to keep wickets as any further damage would mean the end of my season. I feel terribly bad as I have worked hard on my keeping skills. Ahead of the season, I worked with former India keeper Sameer Dighe on my glove work,” he said.

He further added, "Gautam Gambhir and Ashish Kapoor (captain and coach of India Blue side in Duleep Trophy) can certainly talk about the improvement I have made as a keeper."

Looking at the positive side of things, Karthik said, "Though I'm a bit upset, I now know that I'm in contention.”

So far, the 31-year old has scored 5 fifties and a century in seven games for Tamil Nadu in Ranji Trophy while Parthiv Patel has scored only 415 runs at an average of 59.28 while representing Gujarat. Karthik was confident that he will be fit enough to keep wickets in TN's next game against Gujarat.

"I will be fit for the next game against Gujarat as a keeper. I have given my best in batting and I'm confident of doing well with the gloves as well. Keeping is a lot like umpiring, the misses are remembered most.

"I have genuinely improved as a keeper and I'm itching to wear them back. As I said about two months back, I still have the burning desire to play for India again," he signed off.

Dinesh Karthik expresses disappointment after being snubbed

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