Chennai, Jan 22: With Rajasthan just a day away from another Ranji title thanks to a first-innings lead of 347 runs, Dinesh Karthik’s defiant knock of 150 runs for Tamil Nadu could not rescue the hosts whose fate was already sealed.
Expressing disappointment at his team’s batting performance in the final, Karthik said they could still take heart from some solid performances against top teams in the Ranji quarters and semis.
Excerpts from the press conference:
On the final
In the last three years we have been losing in the quarters or semis and people have said that we probably aren’t good enough for the big matches. This year we have stood up and we have won the quarters and semis convincingly against good teams. This is a game where a lot depended on the toss. Everybody saw the game, the way it started; I don’t think we are bowling unit that cannot get [a single] wicket on a given day. We have bowled out good teams in under 70-80 overs so it goes to say that we are a good bowling unit; but this wasn’t our game. Having said that, a lot of credit to the Rajasthan batsmen; they have really applied themselves.
On his 150-run knock
This hundred was comparatively tougher than the first hundred. I think it was a first-day wicket so it was nice to bat on […] This was a wicket that was very tough to score on; you couldn’t play your shots. It is not a wicket you enjoy batting on […]. Preparation-wise I have had a few butterflies before a match but once I am in rhythm, things keep going.
On the season gone by
This year has been good in the sense [that] I got off to a good start. We won the T20 championships and it was pretty good […]. Then the Ranji Trophy started off okay. I got the two fifties and two hundreds before and I was looking all right. It’s just that [in] two big games I didn’t contribute; against Maharashtra […] and Mumbai […]. It just goes to show that other batsmen have stood up at other times and helped as well.
On batting with tailenders
Once you get to the tail you kind of realise [that] you try and shield the other batsmen as much as possible. The [opposition] try and set attacking fields […] when you play with the tail; in such situations there is hardly any pressure […] You can play freely, you can play your shots. That’s why I feel there is a lot more value when you are chasing a big target. When you are going for the target there is a lot more pleasure playing such shots. So once the lower-order batsmen came in, I could play my shots far more freely.
On Tamil Nadu’s batting line-up
To be honest, we know what we are capable of as a batting unit […] We have the likes of Abhinav Mukund, [Murali] Vijay, Badri [S Badrinath], all quality players, and credit to Prasanna and Vasu [K Vasudevadas]; they have had a good season. Deep down I’m sure all of them were hurt [by our performance]. It’s a little unfair in a final when the opponent bats on winning the toss and you can see how flat it is; and when we get in, the ball keeps low […]. Hats off to the Rajasthan bowlers because they stuck to their task and they bowled on the stumps. We’re disappointed we couldn’t score more than we did. […]
On the disappointment of missing out on a Ranji title once more
While playing my cricket and representing the country, one of the dreams was to win the Ranji Trophy once for Tamil Nadu and I have fallen short twice. So it’s kind of disappointing. […]
