Newly appointed KKR captain Karthik calls Kohli inspiration
As individuals, Dinesh Karthik and Virat Kohli are poles apart. While Kohli is known for his aggression on the field, Karthik likes to keep a calm demeanour in the middle.
However, soon after being named the captain of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Karthik said that when it comes to inspiration, he looks no further than the Indian skipper.
“Virat Kohli leads from the front. He sets an example with his own performances. That is something I would like to do as well — lead by an example rather than by too many words,” said the Tamil Nadu cricketer after KKR CEO Venky Mysore announced him as the captain of the side during a live TV show on Star Sports in Mumbai on Sunday.
Talking about his mild image on the field, the wicket-keeper batsman said he likes to show aggression in his own way. “By nature, I am not that aggressive outwardly. But from inside, I am very aggressive. I like to do small things on the field that really matter --- like looking into the eyes of your rivals. I love to be there in tough situations and face the heat. I am not going to stop players who want to express their aggression on the field, although I would try to control them to ensure they don’t get fined.”
The 32-year-old, who was bought for R7.4 crore by the KKR in the auctions, was quite happy with the resources at his disposal,
MUMBAI: We have a great side. Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Mitchell Starc are probably going to be our four overseas players in the XI. DINESH KARTHIK, KKR captain
especially the overseas recruits and Indian wrist-spinners.
“We have a great side. Chris Lynn, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and Mitchell Starc are probably going to be our four overseas players in the playing XI. All of them are proven match winners.
“I am also very excited about captaining wrist-spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Piyush Chawla. Wrist-spinners are the flavour of the season and the way I use them is going to be very crucial to our cause. KKR are among the most successful teams in IPL with two titles. This year’s IPL marks a transition for the Kolkata-based franchise as they chose not to retain their successful leader Gautam Gambhir in the mega auctions and instead decided to build their team around a new leader.
Though Robin Uthappa’s name as Gambhir’s successor was doing the rounds, Karthik eventually got the nod from the team management. Uthappa was appointed Karthik’s deputy.
Replying to a question on his relationship with Uthappa, Karthik said both complement each other very well.
“We complement each other. He is an emotional person who wears his heart on the sleeve. I take my decisions rationally and don’t like to show too much of emotion. He will be my perfect foil and together we can take the team forward.”