India vs Sri Lanka, World Cup 2019: Dinesh Karthik reveals his batting position for the remainder of tournament
Ahead of India vs Sri Lanka match, Dinesh Karthik revealed that the Indian team management has made it clear that will bat at No. 7 in the remainder of ICC World Cup 2019
When all the talk has been around India’s struggling middle-order in ICC World Cup 2019, India wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Kathik has revealed that the team management has made it clear that he will bat at No. 7 if given an opportunity in the remainder of the tournament.
Karthik, who made his World Cup debut 15 years after playing his ODI in India’s last match against Bangladesh, batted at No. 7 as Hardik Pandya was promoted up the order after India got off to a great start thanks to Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
Live cricket score of India vs Sri Lanka World Cup match
“I think they’ve been very clear on what my role has been. When I go in at No 7, I need to pace myself accordingly if we bat second,” Karthik said ahead of India’s next World Cup game against Sri Lanka
Karthik also gave insight on how he will bat if India are batting first.
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“If we are batting first, then make sure we get to the par score that’s required. They’ve made it clear that this is where I’ll be batting, and my role is to make sure, whatever the situation is, assess it and do the best that I can,” the Tamil Nadu cricketer said.
India failed to chase down 338-run target against England a few days ago but Karthik defended his side. “I think India as a team have been good chasers for a long time, we’re very confident of chasing,” Karthik said.
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“I think we as a team believe that we’re good chasers, because that’s what we do day in day out.
“We’re a team that actually has the ability to handle pressure very well. We’d back ourselves to chase and get the totals that we believe we can achieve.”
The 34-year-old reckoned the pressure of the target and playing conditions combined to derail many chases.
“I think it’s a bit of both,” said the wicketkeeper who played his first World Cup match against Bangladesh on Tuesday, 15 years after his ODI debut, as a specialist batsman.
“For a lot of the teams, they’re bowling cross-seam and the wicket has been a little up-and-down as well. It’s not been that easy to execute shots.
“And also this is a World Cup, so obviously there’s a bit of scoreboard pressure, and I think a lot of teams have fallen prey to that as well.”