Follow UsDinesh Karthik scored a vital fifty in the fourth T20 International (T20I) against South Africa to help India level the series says that he is feeling very secure in the current set-up and has credited Rahul Dravid for the calmness he brings into the dressing room.
After being 0-2 down in the five-match series, India have now drawn level with comprehensive wins in Visakhapatnam and now in Rajkot. There's all to play for in the fifth and final T20I, which will be played in Bengaluru on Sunday (June 19).
"Just feels good,' he said about the innings.
"I am feeling very secure in this set-up. In the last game, things didn't go according to plan, but I went and expressed myself today," Karthik said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
"Credit to Rahul Dravid; there is a certain sense of calmness. The dressing room is a calm place right now. It is important to learn to embrace pressure. It feels secure and fuzzy. That clarity and the environment helped."
Karthik says that the team enjoyed relishing the pressure in the third and fourth games after having lost the first couple of matches in Delhi and Cuttack.
"It is good to see a bilateral series going down to the final match. To see the pressure being absorbed in the third and fourth games was something we would relish," Karthik, who scored 55 off just 27 deliveries in Rajkot said.
Karthik's junior and team's skipper Rishabh Pant was all praise for both Hardik Pandya and Karthik's game-changing stand after being reduced to 56 for 3 in 10 overs. "We talked about execution and playing better cricket and here are the results. Really happy with the way Hardik put up a show. DK went for the kill right away and that gave us the positivity."
He did admit that he needs to improve upon his own batting. "As an individual, I can look to improve in certain areas. Not too concerned though. Looking to take the positives and looking to improve. Let's see what happens in Bangalore. Looking forward to give our 100%."
South African stand-in captain Keshav Maharaj blamed it on a lack of adaptability from his side.
"Obviously, didn't go according to plan in the last few overs (while bowling), but we felt the pitch got a bit better at the end. It is the lack of adaptability on our side. We need to be a bit more proactive."
(With inputs from PTI)