Dinesh Karthik made the selectors sit up and take notice with his blistering knocks in the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) and could well make his first appearance in the Indian team in three years in their upcoming five-match T20I series against South Africa. Karthik last played for India in July 2019.
While he didn’t have notable returns in the IPL while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders in the last three seasons, he was given the role of finisher by Royal Challengers Bangalore this year and the veteran wicketkeeper-batter flourished. Karthik scored 330 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 183.33.
“It is really impressive how he performed in certain situations. I have not really seen Dinesh Karthik in this state of mind in the last one and half decade. He is in the best frame of mind so that’s a reason,” former India chief selector MSK Prasad told NDTV.
“He made his selection inevitable. Now that he is here again, he will get his opportunities, he can make an impact. Not many players are there in that particular role (finisher’s). Probably, the selectors would have felt to give him one last try, because of the form he has exhibited in the IPL,” he added.
Prasad said that the five-match T20I series should give India of how they can fill the gaps in their batting order going into the T20 World Cup later this year.
“We need to set our batting order. Even in the last T20 World Cup, we were found a little wanting in that front,” Prasad said.
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