IPL is the league of the best, has helped me reach greater heights: Dinesh Karthik [Interview]

He is nearing 37 but the desire to represent the country has still not died. Dinesh Karthik has been a rather underrated international player but still remains a hot property in the IPL, where he has established himself as one of the best wicketkeepers and finishers, having played a whopping 213 games in a career spanning over a decade.

With the 2022 IPL mega auction upon him, he speaks about his IPL experience in the league, future plans and lots more in an exclusive chat with CricTracker.

Excerpts:

You are an athletic fielder. In case you are picked in the team that already has a first-choice keeper, would you mind not donning the keeper’s gloves?

I’ve always enjoyed fielding. More than happy to field, whenever the team has required it, sometimes I’ve relished it even more than keeping. So, I thoroughly enjoy doing both, fielding and keeping.

You are a floater in the batting line-up and played in different positions. Will you open if you get a chance?

Yes, I think I’ve always enjoyed the fact that I could bat anywhere but in the last few years, I’ve tried really hard to become a proper middle-order batter who can close out an innings. So that’s something I’ve looked to specialise in as much as possible.

What could you have done differently as KKR captain to take the team to their third IPL title? 

I think in 2018 we had a fabulous chance. I wish I could’ve batted just a little longer. We were doing really well as a team. We needed 80 runs in 10 overs, I know Rashid Khan bowled a brilliant spell that day but if I could’ve found a way to just stay in there, I think me and Russell could’ve finished off that game as well. And it would’ve been meeting CSK in the final and it would’ve been great to play against them that day.

Since IPL 2017, you average an impressive 38 in the middle order where the team has won the match also with a strike rate of 147. How do you approach such high-pressure situations in IPL?

I’ve always enjoyed being part of the middle order. I just enjoy.

Which bowler was the toughest to bat against in IPL?

For me, the toughest bowler I’ve faced in IPL for sure was Lasith Malinga. The few years I did play for Mumbai Indians, I enjoyed it because I was never going to play against him except in the nets, so I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Is there extra motivation going into this IPL, especially considering you made a statement about making a comeback in the Indian team

Yes, I think I’ve always been someone who’s been very happy, very chilled out and easygoing. That’s one of the reasons why whenever I go back to domestic cricket, I always enjoy playing there as well. And yes, definitely meditation and doing a lot of fitness is a very integral part of my life as well, which has helped me and kept me in good stead over the years.

You have been both a captain and played under someone else, what do you enjoy more?

I think I enjoy both. Being a captain brought out the best in me a lot of times and I’ve enjoyed being a player as well because the majority of the times, whenever you play a team sport, obviously you don’t lead and become a captain everywhere you go. But you can behave like a leader and that’s something that I’ve always focused on – behaving like a leader and being there for the whole team in times of pressure, and obviously for the younger lot as well. So that’s something that has come to me naturally and I’ve enjoyed being both, a player and captain over the years.

How has IPL impacted you as a cricketer and a person?

I think as a cricketer, IPL definitely helped me reach greater heights because you play against the best and end up meeting people from different cultures, you interact with them, you change as a person in many ways and as a cricketer as well.

It helped me tremendously, interacting with a lot of cricketers over the years. And as a person as well because sometimes if I wasn’t playing the IPL or part of Team India, then you sometimes tend to be pretty disappointed. But the fact that IPL was always around the corner allowed me to rub shoulders with the best and it brought out the best in me as a person and as a player.