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Cricket Players'There's no Dhoni in the side, so you are looking at a finisher': Shastri rates Dinesh Karthik's T20 World Cup chances
Dinesh Karthik may not been in fray for the World Cup even as a fringe player, but the 36-year-old is surely making a case for the big tournament with his finishing abilities.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) will have an effect on a player's chances in the making the Indian squad for the 2022 T20 World Cup which will be will held in Australia later in October. While those in fray will look to prove their worth and consolidate their position while the fringe players will aim to make their case stronger. Veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik may not been in fray for the World Cup even as a fringe player, but the 36-year-old is surely making a case for the big tournament with his finishing abilities.
In three matches this season, Karthik has amassed 90 runs in just 44 balls at a strike rate of 204.5. His scores read 32 off 14, 14 off 7 and 44 off 23 as Royal Challengers Bangalore's new recruit has been playing impressively down the order for the team. His last score helped RCB escape from a top-order collapse to a four-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals.
Since the knock, discussions on Karthik's possible India return has been brewing with even the veteran player making his intentions clear.
Speaking on the subject on ESPNCricinfo, former India head coach Ravi Shastri admitted that with the team requiring a finisher like MS Dhoni, the experienced Karthik looks as a possibility, but India will have to be mindful of the number of wicketkeepers they carry in the squad.
"With the amount of cricket being played and with the injuries that can take place, if you have a good IPL season which I feel he is right in thinking in that fashion. He has started off really hot and if he has a cracker jack of a season, surely he will be in that mix. He has got the experience, he has got all the shots...there is no Dhoni in the side now so you are looking at a finisher as well. But you also have to see how many keepers you want - there's Ishan Kishan, Rishabh Pant and now there's Karthik. And if there's an injury there, then he comes in automatically," he said.
While Pant's a certainty, Ishan, who made a good start to the season with two consecutive fifties for Mumbai Indians, is still making his case. Besides, India had recently recalled Sanju Samson for the home T20I series against Sri Lanka last month.
