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Cricket PlayersIndia star reacts to Ricky Ponting's 'his playing days were over' statement on him ahead of T20 World Cup
Ahead of the start of the tournament, Australia legend Ricky Ponting made a statement on an Indian player, opining that he felt he had approached the end of his career. And the India star has now reacted to that statement.
Team India is all geared up to begin their 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Australia on Sunday, when they take on the Babar Azam-led Pakistan side at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The 2007 T20 world champions will aim to end their ICC trophy drought in Australia and lift their first T20 World Cup trophy after 15 years. Ahead of the start of the tournament, Australia legend Ricky Ponting made a statement on an Indian player, opining that he felt he had approached the end of his career. And the India star has now reacted to that statement.
Speaking to ICC ahead of the India-Pakistan game, Ponting made a statement on Dinesh Karthik and was rather left surprised by how the veteran cricketer managed to bounce back from brink of retirement to being part of the Indian World Cup squad.
"It looked like his Indian career was over, probably in all three formats. He was not a retained player for KKR in IPL. He today is one of the best finishers in the T20 game which he probably never really thought to be. I thought his playing days were over and he was transferring himself to the commentary box. But he was transforming the other way. I am pleased and quite surprised the way he had turned his career in the last couple of months," said the former Australian skipper.
16 months back, Karthik was part of the commentary team for India's England tour. Having played his last cricket for India in 2019, Karthik had fallen out of reckoning and was far from anyone considering him for even a comeback. But the batter put on a stupendous show in IPL 2022 for Royal Challengers Bangalore, as a finisher which left selectors with no choice but to recall him. Karthik did not disappoint thereafter and he was picked for both Asia Cup and T20 World Cup.
"It is not an easy thing to do at that age. To get better is not easy. The one thing that I know about Indian players is that they never give up. The way Dinesh has played, he has made it impossible for team to not pick him," added Ponting further.
Karthik later reacted to the video shared by ICC, tweeting, "RICKY PONTING, Easily one of my favvv cricketer growing up and I loved every minute I spent with him during my time with MI. A champion leader and an astute reader of the game. Thanks Ricky for these beautiful words, means a hell of a lot to me #DreamsDoComeTrue."
Team India will begin their campaign on October 23
