I'll do everything I can to be on that flight to the World Cup: Karthik

With the T20 World Cup 2024 squad set to be announced in less than two weeks, Dinesh Karthik has put his name in the hat among many other contenders. Karthik, who is having a terrific season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) with the bat, has smashed 226 runs in six innings at a strike rate of 205.45. While Sanju Samson, Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan too are there in the reckoning, Karthik's impressive form as a finisher cannot be ignored.

"At this stage in my life, it would be the greatest feeling for me to represent India. I'm very, very keen to do so. There is nothing bigger in my life other than representing India in this T20 World Cup," Karthik said ahead of RCB's clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 20 (Saturday).

"I also feel there are three very, very stable, honest people who are at the helm to decide what should be the best Indian team for the World Cup -- Rahul Dravid, Rohit Sharma and Ajit Agarkar.

"And I'm completely with them. I respect any decision that they take. But all I can say is I'm 100 percent ready, and I'll do everything I can to be on that flight to the World Cup."

Karthik feels it is important to understand your strengths and focus on precision rather than power-hitting, like Andre Russell or Kieron Pollard.

"These days, as a player, you need to understand your strengths. I'm not a Russell or a Pollard who can just mishit a ball and get a six for it, rather," the 38-year-old said.

"So, I need to understand how I can beat gaps, what sort of balls I can hit for boundaries, and I realised there was a certain pattern in which bowlers were bowling to me, so I needed to try and work out a solution for that.

"Hence, when I practice, I try and understand, okay, if this is what they're going to bowl at me, how am I going to get a boundary, visualising a field that is going to be in place for me.

"So, I worked like that, and I worked backwards, and that helped me, you know, really learn a couple of shots more, at the back end. It's been great to go out there and express myself, and it's been thoroughly enjoyable to do what I'm doing for RCB as a finisher," he added.

In the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, RCB are at the bottom of the table, having won just one of their seven matches so far. Another loss would certainly dent their hopes of making the playoffs.

Play Asli Fantasy on Cricket.com. Download the App Now.