NEW DELHI: Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has credited the Indian Premier League (IPL) with revolutionising Indian cricket to the point where the country can now field two to three national teams of the same quality simultaneously. Speaking at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence on Friday, Karthik praised the IPL for transforming the mindset of Indian cricket and strengthening its infrastructure.
“The IPL has brought out a winning mentality in all our players,” Karthik said during a conversation with Mo Bobat, Director of Cricket at Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and former England cricketer Isa Guha. “With the influx of money and the financial benefits that a lot of the teams receive, and in turn the stakeholders, a lot of it has been put back into infrastructure. So, when infrastructure grows, eventually the quality of sport develops as well.”
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Reflecting on the depth of talent that Indian cricket now boasts, Karthik added, “We can say that since the IPL has become a part of Indian cricket’s fabric, they can now field two to three teams in international cricket at the same time, and almost compete with each one of them. Right now, India is in a very privileged place where they have such a good assortment of cricketers across skill sets.”
Karthik, who has been part of the IPL since its inception, also shared how the league has impacted the psyche of Indian players. Recalling his experience of sharing the dressing room with legendary Australian pacer Glenn McGrath during the early years of the tournament, he said, “For me, the whole ideology of how Australia played at that time was a massive shock. They felt like a pack of wolves out to win every game.”
The IPL not only allowed Karthik to rub shoulders with some of the world’s best but also helped him develop the confidence to compete at the highest level. “In my first year, I got to spend time with Glenn McGrath in close quarters and practice with him. I got to know him better and became comfortable, which helped the confidence and mindset of competing with the best,” he said.
