Dinesh Karthik On The Highs and Lows of Being A Cricketer | Verve Magazine
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June 09, 2016

Dinesh Karthik On The Highs and Lows of Being A Cricketer

Text by Zaral Shah. Photograph by Joseph Radhik

Effortlessly swift behind the stumps and equally talented in front of them, Dinesh Karthik is driven by an undying passion for his game

Having made his Test and ODI debuts over a decade ago in 2004, Dinesh Karthik has, over the years, grown into a trusted wicketkeeper-batsman. On the highs of being a cricketer, wins and records apart, he says, “While playing, you get to connect with people from different walks of life and parts of the world.”

Last year, he tied the knot with ace squash player Dipika Pallikal. On being married to a fellow sports personality he says, “The advantages are that she understands sports, the pressures involved with playing, and what it is like to be out there. The downside is that as she is equally busy, spending time with each other becomes slightly difficult.” However, despite their hectic schedules, they do manage to do so. He smiles, “The credit for that must go to Dipika. She goes out of her way to make this possible. I have been a little bit selfish in that regard as cricket is played all through the year — some match or the other is always on.”

Constantly pushing himself to do his best while on the ground, when asked how he handles pressure, Dinesh shares, “I try to be as calm as I can. And sometimes, when I know things are getting tense and I need to take that extra second, I take a three-second pause. Then, I rethink things and go ahead.” About the success of Gujarat Lions, the new IPL team that he plays for, in the 2016 season, he says, “Obviously, we’re a pretty balanced side and have our strengths. A lot of credit must go to the support staff and (Brendon) McCullum and (Dwayne) Bravo, for coming together and helping all the youngsters. The owner of the team has been very encouraging as well, and those in the background deserve mention too.”

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