I genuinely harbour the ambition of playing for the country again – Dinesh Karthik

India’s veteran wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik is not losing hope of representing the team once again in the T20I format. Karthik has been a consistent performer in the domestic tournaments and wants to once again represent the country at the top level.

The experienced right-hander had a good run in the Vijay Hazare Trophy while playing for his state team, Tamil Nadu. Karthik scored 376 runs in eight matches at an impressive average of 53.71 and a strike rate of 98.68. He scored two fifties and one century and played a key role in taking Tamil Nadu to the final of the tournament.

In fact, Karthik scored a brilliant knock of 116 runs off 103 balls in the final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Himachal Pradesh but his efforts went in vain.

Karthik has all the experience under his belt and he can definitely add value to a team’s middle order in the shortest format of the game. The veteran batter’s highest point in his career came when he blasted 29 runs off just eight balls in the final of the Nidahas Trophy against Bangladesh.

“I genuinely harbour the ambition of playing for the country again and I want to do everything possible, that is my ultimate goal. I train and practice, everything I do right now is working towards that goal. The next three years for me is about playing the sport and doing everything I can. I enjoy playing the sport,” Karthik told news agency ANi.

“That is why I go and play Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vijay Hazare for Tamil Nadu. The kind of success we have had as a state team has been phenomenal and me being a part of that journey is something I have thoroughly enjoyed.

“My main aim is to play for the country again, especially the T20 format. T20 is something, the fire is still burning very brightly,” added the wicketkeeper-batter who has played 32 T20Is for India,” he added.

Karthik added that he is eyeing the finisher role in the team and he believes he can do a good job. The right-hander revealed he has no plans of hanging up his boots.

“Even in the last T20 World Cup, one of the main areas is a finisher and that is a role I am looking at very keenly. Over the period of time, the stats and performances show that I have done a decent job in the limited time I have spent in Indian colours and the franchises I have played for,” he added.

“Obviously, I have enjoyed the commentary stint, but this is something I want to pursue in a serious fashion when I hang up my boots which I am planning to not do very soon. I think for me, playing the sport is of utmost importance and I want to do that for a bare minimum of three years,” he said.