'Well kept': Kirsten impressed by Karthik

Posted on Jul 24, 2008 at 10:17 | Updated Jul 24, 2008 at 12:31 Comment 4 CommentsEmail Email Print Print


Mumbai: India coach Gary Kirsten is impressed with wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik's showing on the opening day of the rain-hit first Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Thursday.

"Karthik is such a talented cricketer. He is a tremendously gifted wicketkeeper. He has served the team well whenever he has got an opportunity to play for the country. It is unfortunate that India have more than two top-class wicketkeepers in the same age group and only one can play in the eleven," Kirsten told Ten Sports on Thursday.

"He kept wickets pretty well on the first day and the catch he took off Ishant's bowling was very well judged because the ball was moving away from him all the time. However, there is lot of cricket to be played in the next four days and hopefully the Indian bowlers manage to get quick breakthroughs when the Sri Lankans resume their batting," he added.

Karthik himself was more than satisfied with his wicketkeeping on the opening day where only 22 overs were bowled but helped his team to get an early breakthrough when he snapped up opening batsman Michael Vandort off Ishant Sharma for three in front of the first slip fielder.

"My work behind the wicket is going well and I have to concentrate on my batting more because that is the only way I can be in the team. If I keep scoring runs, I am sure I can be in the team as a batsman even after (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni comes back to the side," he pointed out.

"In fact the unbeaten half century I scored in the three-day match against the Board President's Eleven has given me lot of confidence and I would like to take this confidence into the Test matches," he added.

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