Karthik picks up middle-order slack for Lions

Dinesh Karthik is a less celebrated force in the Gujarat Lions batting order. That would be par for the course in a lineup featuring Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Smith, Aaron Finch and Suresh Raina had Karthik not played as many pivotal hands as he has in IPL 2016.

The numbers roar in approval too: with 215 runs from eight innings, he is the Lions' third highest scorer. After a slow start to the tournament, he whipped up an unbeaten 39-ball 50 to close out a chase of 181 against Royal Challengers Bangalore and followed it up with 33 off 20 balls in Lions' last-ball win over Rising Pune Supergiants. Against Delhi Daredevils, his gritty fifty coming in at 24 for 3 - aside from Ravindra Jadeja's breezy late-order hitting - was the only bright spot in a game that Lions went down by eight wickets.

Karthik has scored first-rate runs not least because most of those came in the middle overs - only twice has he batted during the powerplay - where most batsmen have struggled to get a grip of things. Karthik has also had to deal with the pressure of taking forward the top order's smash-mouth start, while not being backed up adequately by the rest of the middle order, with Dwayne Bravo - 52 runs in eight innings - and Jadeja - 89 runs in eight innings - registering unflattering numbers. Karthik, however, was realistic about the challenges that came with his territory.

"Middle order, obviously when compared with the openers, it's not on par with that," Karthik said. "It's a totally different role. It's pretty difficult as middle-order batsmen to come in when the run-rate is so high and keep going at that same pace. You take time and then you again consolidate towards the end. Sometimes if the wicket is really good you try and keep going at the same pace.

"At this stage the good thing is Jaddu [Jadeja] has got runs [in the] last game because he is a very, very important cricketer for us. He forms the crux of the team in the middle order. And, I'm sure the way Bravo is batting in the nets it's only a matter of time before he gets going. I am really confident that if those two guys get going then we are on track for some special things."

On his own batting, Karthik said his experience was useful in sussing out the situation quickly. "Good thing is I have been around for some time so the experience helps how to pace an innings, how to react to [different] situations," he said. "I am gathering all the information and trying to do my best. There is so much to learn and I am still in the process of learning."

Karthik's runs have come at a strike-rate of just above 127, which is about the same Raina has managed. He said he was constantly looking to milk the singles and twos - Karthik has scored only one six in the tournament - given the big square boundaries in Rajkot.

"I am somebody who keeps rotating strike but mentally I am always looking for a boundary wherever I can," Karthik said. "Rajkot is a pretty big playing field and to hit sixes is not that easy. I will be looking to rotate a lot more than play the big shot."

Karthik underpinned the importance of not second-guessing himself too much. He cited the example of the sweep shot, which cost him his wicket in Mumbai and against Sunrisers Hyderabad at home, but has remained one of his strongest allies.

"Obviously It's been a love-hate relationship with the sweep. Sometimes I have got out, sometimes I have got runs," Karthik said. "But that's the case, I am sure, with a lot of guys with all their favourite shots. Sometimes you get out but the key thing is you have to keep backing that shot. You know it's going to get some runs for you and help you in tough situations. So you keep believing in that shot.

"You assess [conditions and bowlers] and you try and take the best decision if you are looking to go for a big hit. At the same time it's important that you try and keep it as instinctive as you can. If you programme a touch too much you can play into the hands of the bowler. I am a little aware of that as well."