India will begin the five-match Test series against England from Wednesday and wicket-keeper batsman Dinesh Karthik has said he is “nervous and a little excited” about the challenge to play in England. This is Karthik’s first Test series since making a return against Afghanistan in June. “I am feeling nervous and a little excited. Playing Test cricket after a long time, and I am looking forward to it. Playing in England is a great challenge, and like any other player, I am as excited as I can be,” Karthik told BCCI.TV.
The right-hander is the only player from the 2007 Test squad that last won the series in England. Recollecting the memories from that tour, Karthik talked about the banters and arguments that happened during the series.
“I don’t remember so far back, my memory is so bad. I do remember it as the highlight of my career (so far). It was a terrific Test series – one of the few series where both sides played the same XI through the three Tests. It just goes to show how competitive it was. Both teams didn’t feel the need to make any changes, which shows the kind of quality of cricket in the contest,” Karthik said.
READ: Adil Rashid has maturity to deal with challenges of red-ball cricket, says Jonny Bairstow
He further went on to talk about how seamer Zaheer Khan got involved in an argument with the English cricketers when he found chewed jelly beans on the pitch and later returned with a fifer.
“There was also a lot of banter and arguments, quite a few heated moments in the Test series but it was all played in a good spirit. We saved a game at the Lord’s, won in Nottingham, and Anil Kumble got a hundred at Surrey (Oval). They had no way to make a match out of it,” said Karthik.
Talking about this tour, Karthik said the team is excited to take on England in the series. “We are looking forward to it as a team and we are excited to see the captain and coach leading us from the front with a lot of positive energy and positive vibes, so at this point of time the mood in the camp is upbeat,” he said.
Stay updated with the latest sports news across Cricket, Football, Chess, and more. Catch all the action with real-time live cricket score updates and in-depth coverage of ongoing matches.
