'It came as a surprise' - Dinesh Karthik on batting promotion in 2019 World Cup semi-final

India’s semi-final defeat against New Zealand in the ICC World Cup 2019 is still fresh in the minds of cricket lovers. Many experts and fans were left baffled by the sudden promotion of Dinesh Karthik in the batting order following a top-order collapse while chasing a 240-run target. Since the crushing defeat, Karthik has been dropped from the side as selectors silently looked to other players.

Months after the heartbreaking defeat to the Black Caps, Karthik opened up on his sudden promotion as he said the move came as asurprise to him as the team management was very clear that he would be batting at number seven throughout the campaign.

Karthik said that his move was to arrest the flow of wickets while adding that he had to move really quickly to get ready due to the plan being a last-moment implementation.

“It came as a bit of a surprise because they had made it very clear that I would be batting at number seven. We had to send a rearguard action just to stem the flow of wickets. I was told to pad up and it all happened in a daze, in a hurry," Karthik was quoted as saying by leading cricket news portal.

“I was just sitting in my shorts and I had to go up, get ready. Literally, I was late to get in, I wasn’t expecting a wicket to fall. KL Rahul got out and I had to put on my pads. I went in in the third over and I don’t know when I got out, and it doesn’t matter, but I just stopped the wickets falling till Boult’s spell was over. He was the main wrecker-in-chief and unluckily when it was time for me to move on, I got out to a brilliant catch by James Neesham,” he added.

India suffered a heartbreaking 18-run defeat to New Zealand to bow out of the quadrennial event after enjoying a splendid run in the league stage.