Dinesh Karthik

“The scoops and laps are something I've always had. The timing of the shots is the important part. You can't use it when it's reckless, you've to use it at the right time. Using the crease is something I've consciously worked on.”

“I think I'm pretty calm. But I am very restless and fidgety.”

“As an international cricketer, you have to keep reinventing the wheel, being consistent is part of it.”

“In the 1999 World Cup, I remember Nayan Mongia's brilliant catch to dismiss Azhar Mahmood off Anil Kumble. It was the catch of the World Cup.”

“Fielding has always come naturally to me and I've always enjoyed it. While keeping, you're just standing in one place and I've done it so many times so I've enjoyed fielding and that's why I enjoy playing as a batsman.”

“I have always enjoyed playing as a batsman. In the T20 format, I have been asked to play at six or seven. I have finished a few innings batting first and a few chasing. It feels good and it feels like yes I can do it.”

“One thing common with me and Shikhar Dhawan is that we play a lot of orthodox cricketing strokes. We look to play the ball along the ground and while lofting the ball, it's more with a vertical bat.”

“Good or bad, if people still talk about you it means that you have managed to stay relevant.”

“The first time I carried drinks was during the 2004 Champions Trophy. It was a wet outfield and I was running with the drinks and I couldn't stop myself and just went sliding into Sourav Ganguly, who was giving a team chat in the huddle.”

“I think Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Mumbai have very loyal fans. That's the beauty of franchise cricket.”

“I would have been a frustrated man had I not achieved what I wanted to achieve as a cricketer.”

“I just love to play the sport. It maybe a cliche, but it's true for me. I'm constantly trying to be the best cricketer I can be. The sport has become a lifestyle.”

“There's a certain vibe at Eden Gardens... Playing in front of 60,000 people is special and it makes a massive difference.”

“I heard a lot about Ian Botham's Ashes, in 1981. Everybody still talks about his performance.”

“As a middle-order batsman, a lot of times you have to trust your ability to play those big shots under pressure. It is also important to trust your partner at that time.”

“Playing at different positions is a challenge, and I've always believed that I can play in any situation and at any number in the batting order.”

“I'm somebody who inspires by his own performances, by the way he conducts himself on and off the field. My discipline... I look to inspire by my actions, not just words.”

“I have always believed in my batting abilities. I have always put my hand up as a pure batsman and have enjoyed fielding as well. My ultimate aim is to play all formats as a batsman. I have done it before.”

“I work out only with my trainer. And I make sure to do a lot of power training. For me, fitness is more about being on the ground rather than being in a gym.”

“After all, I'm nobody to tell the U-19s how they should lead their lives. My job is to give them the belief, it's better than just advice. We love guys who go through their journey themselves.”