"Feeling Very Secure In This Setup": Dinesh Karthik After Match-Winning 55-Run Knock

A total of 155 international games across formats in 18 years since his debut doesn't do justice to Dinesh Karthik's immense potential but it has perhaps got to do with the insecurities that crop up with sporadic chances over the years. Having played a big role in India's series-levelling 82-run win against South Africa, Karthik attributes performances like 27-ball-55 to a sense of security and clarity in thought process.

"Just feels good,' he said about the innings. "I am feeling very secure in this set-up. In the last game, things didn't go according to plan, but I went and expressed myself today," Karthik said at the post-match presentation ceremony.

He gave a lot of credit to coach Rahul Dravid.

"Credit to Rahul Dravid; there is a certain sense of calmness. The dressing room is a calm place right now. It is important to learn to embrace the pressure. It feels secure and fuzzy. That clarity and the environment helped." Having played India's inaugural T20 game in 2006, coincidentally against the Proteas and also a 'Player of the match' award back then, Karthik is now more clear about his role in the team.

"I think DK is thinking a little better. He is able to assess situations better and that comes with practice," he said.

Karthik is happy that the series has gone down to the wire.

"It is good to see a bilateral series going down to the final match. To see the pressure being absorbed in the third and fourth games was something we would relish." Karthik's junior and team's skipper Rishabh Pant was all praise for both Hardik Pandya and Karthik's game-changing stand after being reduced to 56 for 3 in 10 overs.

"We talked about execution and playing better cricket and here are the results. Really happy with the way Hardik