'The best part is I might not be there on the field...': Dinesh Karthik trolls himself after crucial 38-run knock in IPL 2024 opener

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) veteran batter Dinesh Karthik made way for the impact player Yash Dayal after a crucial knock to help the visitors post a fighting total. Karthik and Anuj Rawat rescued RCB with a record-breaking 95-run partnership for the sixth wicket against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). In the innings break, Karthik said that RCB were 10 runs short and will need to field well to put pressure on CSK. Towards the end, Karthik revealed that he wouldn't keep wickets and would be off the field which will be an advantage for RCB.
 

“Chasing 182-183 would be a lot more tricky than 173. We need to field well, but I know we are more than capable of that. The best part is I might not be there on the field, so even better for us (laughs),” Karthik told the broadcasters during the innings break. 
 

Karthik felt rusty on batting-friendly wicket

Karthik said that he felt a bit rusty throughout the innings. He praised Rawat for accelerating in the slog overs and said that the pitch was good for batting.  
 

“Feel a bit rusty. Right till the last over, I was finding my form. Wasn’t coming as smoothly but that’s understandable. I was trying hard, we were in a pressure situation and I was trying to stitch a partnership with a young guy who’s been around for a while. It is a very good pitch, and looks good for batting,” he said. 

ALSO READ: Ravi Shastri feels lack of game time behind Virat Kohli's rusty knock IPL 2024 opener 'no matter how long he bats in nets'
 

Few more sixes would have made a difference

The 38-year-old rued opportunities to hit sixes in the slog overs as it would have helped them post a par total. His unbeaten 26-ball 38 featured three fours and a couple of sixes.
 

“We are slightly under par, so we need to field well and bowl out of our skin. We lost a few wickets in the middle, that hurt us. In the back end, if we connected with a few sixes then that could make the difference,” he added. 
 

Impact player Dayal dismissed CSK's newly-appointed skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad in the fourth over. The left-arm pacer conceded 28 runs from three overs.
 

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