Dinesh Karthik's enthusiasm for the game is infectious. The little man is a bundle of energy on most occasions. Not surprisingly, he is a wicket-keeper batsman.
These ’keeper-batsmen are a breed apart.
Gruelling hours of high concentration levels donning the big gloves and session after session at the crease with the willow can put enormous burden on mind and body. They can also leave behind scars, both, visible and beneath the surface.
Despite the setbacks and the scrutiny his job comes under, the 26-year-old Karthik remains an optimist. He is also seeking to enhance his cricketing vision.
“I want to create a cricketing environment within my mind, where, when I play for India the next time, I will be attempting to be the best rather than strive to stay in the fringes,” said Karthik to The Hindu here on Friday.
Simply put, Karthik wants to enter what battle hardened professional cricketers call ‘The Zone.'
The spunky lad's ability with the willow has never been in question but his shot selection left his supporters exasperated on a few occasions. Karthik reveals he has worked on his initial movement and his choice of strokes. “I am confident I will be among the big runs this season,” he says.
His ‘keeping has come under the scanner on some long days but Karthik says the coming of BCCI's academy for ‘keepers to Chennai has helped him. “I spent quality time with Sameer Dighe honing my skills and it has definitely helped.”
Karthik laments good ‘keeping is not appreciated by many. “Very few people look at aspects such as balance, movement and the quality of gathering. There have been times when a ‘keeper might have plucked a couple of good catches but ‘kept poorly or ‘kept very capably for most part and put down an offering at the fag end of the evening.”
Karthik sees slivers of light, though, and nurses ambitions of a comeback. “The competition between myself, Pathiv Patel and Wriddhiman Saha for the second ‘keeper's slot is tough but I enjoy the challenge..”
Karthik, however, says he is not disappointed at losing the State captaincy. “The fact that we were unable to progress beyond semifinals in the Ranji Trophy bothered me since I put so much emotionally into the job. And L. Balaji is a good man for the job with the right qualities.”
The feisty Karthik is willing for the hard slog ahead. Nothing comes easy for these wicket-keeper batsmen.
