Dinesh Karthik, who is in red hot form in IPL 2022, admitted that his ultimate goal is to play for India in the upcoming T20 World Cup that will be held in October-November in Australia. The wicket-keeper batsman is currently his side’s highest run-scorer. He has helped RCB win four games in the six they have played so far. 

The Royal Challengers Bangalore will play the Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. 

Karthik has scored 197 runs in six matches at a whopping strike rate of over 209. He has been dismissed only once. In RCB’s last match, against the Delhi Capitals, the 36-year-old played a 34-ball 66 run hand. He was unbeaten and took the team’s total to 189 in the first innings. Faf du Plessis and co won the game by 16 runs and are at the third spot in the points table.

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Dinesh Karthik, in a video posted on IPL’s official website, during a conversation with former skipper Virat Kohli said that he was given the role of a finisher from day one. 

“I think there is a small term goal and a bigger vision as well. The small term goal is obviously to do very well for RCB, credit to the RCB backroom staff. The day I got picked up for RCB, Sanjay Bangar Bhai called me and told me DK you would be playing the finisher role. We have lost out on AB so we cannot replace him with anybody who is half as good as him. So, we are going to have 2-3 guys who can do that role because he is that good. So, then I took it on myself that okay this is what I need to do,” Karthik told Kohli. 

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Karthik however added that succeeding with RCB is a short term goal. He wants to be a part of the Indian squad going to the World Cup. 

“The big vision is to play for the country. I know there is a World Cup around the corner, and I want to be part of that World Cup desperately and I want to help India cross the line. It has been a long time since India won a multi-nation tournament and I want to be that person who helps India do that. For that you need to do things differently, you need to be aware of so many things and try and be that player who people notice and say hey he is doing something special. Every day, I practice with that intent in my mind. As you grow old, you need to be very fit,” he added.