Rohit Sharma: 'Dinesh was quite upset that he didn’t bat at No. 6'

Índian skipper Rohit Sharma revealed Dinesh Karthik was unhappy he wasn't batting higher in the order.

Published : Mar 19, 2018 13:01 IST , COLOMBO

 Dinesh Karthik’s eight-ball cameo helped India lift the Nidahas Trophy.
Dinesh Karthik’s eight-ball cameo helped India lift the Nidahas Trophy.
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Dinesh Karthik’s eight-ball cameo helped India lift the Nidahas Trophy.

Dinesh Karthik adapts to every situation and his experience combined with a vast repertoire of strokes make him a suitable candidate for finisher's role, skipper Rohit Sharma said.

Karthik's (29 of 8 balls) last-ball six helped India beat Bangladesh by four wickets in the Nidahas T20 Tri-series final, here on Sunday.

“He was with us on the previous tour in South Africa and didn’t get much game time. To do what he did today will give him a lot of confidence going forward,” Rohit told reporters.

"The most important thing he has is the belief in himself. Whatever situation comes, he's ready - whether he bats up the order or down the order. That's the kind of guy we need in our team.

Rohit revealed Karthik was unhappy he wasn't batting higher in the order. “When I got out, I went and sat in the dugout and Dinesh was quite upset that he didn’t bat at No. 6,” Rohit said.

READ: ‘We knew Karthik could finish off the game’

"But I told him: 'I want you to bat and finish off the game for us because whatever skill you have, it will be required in the last three or four overs'. That is the only reason he was not batting at No. 6 in the 13th over when I got out. He was upset with that, but he'll be quite happy now how he finished off the game."

Lavishing praise on Karthik, Rohit said, "I have to go back to the kinds of shots that he has in his books - it suits him to finish off games at the death where you have to use that one fielder that is inside the circle - either fine leg, or mid-off or short third man.

"He can always play those ramp shots which he played in the end to Rubel Hossain. He knows that. I thought Mustafizur [Rahman] would bowl probably the 18th and the 20th overs, and we wanted an experienced guy to handle him.

"We knew he would come out with his off-cutters and Dinesh probably would have been a better choice at that point. He has done it for his state team and also for Mumbai Indians.”

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