Dinesh Karthik has become one of the best finishers in the world right now, says Ravi Ashwin

The last one year or so has seen a new facet of Dinesh Karthik’s batting. Over the years, he was used as a floater across formats before it changed after his heroics in the Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh last year. India were staring down the barrel against their noisy neighbours before Karthik came to the crease. He slammed 29 runs off just eight deliveries – including a last-ball six – to seal a nail-biting win for India.

Since then Karthik has gone from strength and strength and the world once again witnessed his finishing abilities on Tuesday during the second ODI against Australia in Adelaide. He came to the crease when the visitors were in a spot of bother after the fall of Virat Kohli‘s wicket. The India skipper scored 104 before being sent back by Jhye Richardson. India needed 57 off 38 deliveries when Karthik joined MS Dhoni in the middle. And while Dhoni was looking in his elements, Karthik played a fine cameo to completely ease the pressure off his senior teammate.

The Tamil Nadu man slammed 25 off just 14, sharing an unbeaten partnership of 57 runs with Dhoni to take India home with four balls in hand. Karthik’s 25 might not seem too magnanimous against the ones recorded by Kohli and Dhoni (55) but it was enough to show that he is more than capable of finishing the games.

Karthik has been receiving praise from all over for his quickfire knock and received some words of appreciations from his India and state teammate Ravi Ashwin too. The India Test spin spearhead took to Twitter to praise Karthik for his displays in the ‘last 18 months’.

“Just going through some batting numbers of @DineshKarthik over the last 18 months and its not surprising to see that he has become one of the best finishers in the world right now. This version of DK is all that he ever wanted to be, I am very happy for him., wrote Ashwin.

Just going through some batting numbers of @DineshKarthik over the last 18 months and its not surprising to see that he has become one of the best finishers in the world right now. This version of DK is all that he ever wanted to be, I am very happy for him. 👏#INDvsAUS

— Ashwin Ravichandran (@ashwinravi99) January 16, 2019

Karthik reveals his role

Speaking after the game, Karthik said the team-management identified the role of a finisher for him at number six. He also revealed how he worked on his batting to improve his finishing skills.

“I’ve practiced it (finishing games), worked on it and it’s a skill I think is very important. It’s a skill where you need to have a cool head. A lot of experience helps. This is probably one of the hardest skills in the game. To finish a match and be on the winning side is something that is great to be a part of.

“Definitely the team management has told me this is the role for me right now. And they want me to do the best I can. They are backing me completely. They have told me that this is where I’m going to bat and this is what they expect out of me and I’m trying to achieve that,” he said.

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