The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : It's great news: Kaarthick

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 31, 2004

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Sport - Cricket

It's great news: Kaarthick

By Our Sports Reporter

CHENNAI, OCT. 30. Dinesh Kaarthick first heard the news about his making the Indian team for the Mumbai Test from his excited mother on Saturday. This might sound like a case of someone winning the lottery: Dinesh was at home pottering around, doing nothing particularly exciting, when he received a call from Bahrain at around 2 p.m. It was his mother, and she had just heard the big news on television.

The 19 year-old wicketkeeper-batsman from Chennai is set to make his Test debut on November 3 after replacing Parthiv Patel, and will be only the second 'keeper from Tamil Nadu - after Bharath Reddy - to play Test cricket.

And while, as he admits, the call-up might not have come as a complete surprise he is still extremely excited. "I was certainly hoping for this, there was a ray of hope. I knew my name was being discussed, so it isn't entirely unexpected, but still it's great news. It hasn't sunk in yet obviously," Kaarthick said, when contacted over telephone. "But I also need to make sure I stay focussed on the game."

Kaarthick, who has previously played for the India under-19 team and India `A', fits in the senior side primarily as a wicketkeeper - it was Patel's poor show with the gloves in the first two Tests, after all, that led to the opening. Kaarthick knows keeping wickets to the Indian spinners in Mumbai, on what could prove to be a turning track, will be challenging; but he hopes his experience in one-day internationals will help him out.

"Yes, there will be pressure; but I kept to Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh in Holland during the recent one-day series against England and Kenya, and although this is certainly different I am confident I can do well," he said. No doubt, he must also derive confidence from that smart stumping he effected off Harbhajan in his debut match against England, to send back Michael Vaughan.

In addition, Kaarthick — a huge Dravid and Sachin fan — is also regarded as a genuine middle-order batsman. The talented youngster scored attacking centuries in the Ranji Trophy semifinals and final last season, and although Tamil Nadu eventually lost to Mumbai, the right-hander did enough to draw attention. It was obvious: this was no slogger.

Besides his parents, there are some people who he would particularly like to thank. "The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association has also helped me a lot. I owe a lot to Senthil Nathan, my coach at MRF Globe Trotters," he said. "I would also like to thank Bharath Reddy, who guided me and helped me a great deal with my technique as far as wicketkeeping is concerned."

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