I am aware of the expectations: Karthik

Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik during a press conference and jersey launch ahead of IPL 2018, in Kolkata on Sunday.   | Photo Credit: PTI

Under Gambhir, KKR twice emerged champions (2012, 2014) and also made the Play-offs thrice (2011, 2016 and 2017).

New Kolkata Knight Riders captain Dinesh Karthik is aware of the franchise’s expectations from him and is ready to shoulder the responsibility.

Karthik acknowledged that it was tough to replace former KKR captain Gautam Gambhir, who guided the side to two Indian Premier League (IPL) titles in 2012 and 2014 and three play-offs in 2011, 2016 and 2017.

“What Gambhir has achieved for KKR is phenomenal. He has left a benchmark,” Karthik said at the jersey launch of his team here on Sunday.

Decent finish

The seasoned wicketkeeper-batsman, who was picked by KKR for ₹7.4 crore, said he would lead his side to achieve a decent finish. “Being a leader of the team, the management will expect from me the same. I am aware of the expectations. Yes, there will be pressure. As a captain, you are expected to at least go to the play-offs, that’s the least anybody can expect.

“I am at a stage where I can handle it and get the best out of the team.”

Karthik, who recently won the Nidahas Trophy final for India, said he would look to take a different responsibility in the KKR batting order. “I will bat at a different position than where I batted for India. IPL is about dealing with tricky situation, handling pressure. Everybody is here to do his best, and I am no different.”

Looking back at the Nidahas Trophy final, Karthik said, “It’s been close to 10 days since that innings, things have moved on... When we play Bangladesh, it’s a different kind of pressure. If you win, you are like ‘Okay, you have won’, but if you lose it’s like ‘Wake up, what are you doing’.

“We had a good season and for us not to win that game would not have been nice. It was a great feeling.”

Meanwhile, KKR coach Jacques Kallis termed the recent ball tampering episode a “wake up call” for cricketers. “It has just made players all around the world aware that you have to be careful of what you do.

Right spirit

“We need to look after this game and make sure we play in the right spirit and the right way...What I will be pressing upon my players is that we play the game hard but we play fair. It’s pretty much how I would like to see KKR play and that’s how we have been playing in the past,” said the South African all-rounder.