3 reasons why Dinesh Karthik has an outside chance to make India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad
Dinesh Karthik made his return to competitive cricket at the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) after a gap of three months. His last international outing was in November 2022 when he represented India against Bangladesh in the T20 World Cup Down Under.
His performances for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (now Royal Challengers Bengaluru) (RCB) strengthened his case as the wicketkeeper-batter made his India return. But he has been out of the picture since then, with the game against Bangladesh being his most recent outing.
This year, at the 17th edition of the IPL, Karthik has shown promise by playing two back-to-back crucial knocks. He notched up an unbeaten 38 in RCB’s campaign opener against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and helped his side get to a defendable total. The Faf du Plessis-led team, however, ended up losing the encounter.
He carried the same momentum into RCB’s next fixture against the Punjab Kings and pulled off a thrilling chase by scoring 28* off 10 deliveries while batting at No. 7. Courtesy of Virat Kohli’s 77 followed by Karthik’s finishing skills, RCB registered their first win of the season.
With the next edition of the T20 World Cup approaching, every player will be looking to put up memorable and consistent performances for their respective sides, to make their case stronger for a place in their national team’s squad.
Dinesh Karthik too would be hoping to take RCB to victories with an aim to make another comeback into the Indian side. While there are several players in contention, and some who will be a certainty in the squad, Karthik might have an outside chance of making it to the global event.
On that note, let us look at three reasons why Dinesh Karthik has an outside chance to make India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad.
#3 At 38, Dinesh Karthik is fit as a fiddle
Even at the age of 38, Dinesh Karthik’s fitness is as good as someone in their 20s. While India’s regulars KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant keep battling with fitness issues and are prone to injuries frequently, Karthik has comparatively been safe in that department.
Not just his wicketkeeping skills, but also his understanding of the game and running between the wickets is commendable. A consistent season with the bat for RCB might as well increase his chances for a place in India’s World Cup squad.
In RCB’s recent game against CSK, Karthik's prowess with the bat impressed many as he was also successful in building a crucial partnership after the team got into trouble early on. These traits just make his case stronger.
#2 Batting records at West Indies
Dinesh Karthik has a good track record in the West Indies, the co-host of the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. In the six T20Is that he has played in the Caribbean nation, Karthik has scored 125 runs at an average of 31.25.
While the numbers don’t look as good as they should be, it is to be noted that Karthik has batted in the middle order on all occasions. Batting in the death overs is not an easy task, and Karthik has the experience of tackling that pressure.
RCB have played two games at the IPL 2024 so far, and Karthik proved to be a key factor in both the games. While he notched up runs batting first against CSK, he bettered his performance, and played a knock similar to the 29*(8) from 2019 against Bangladesh, against PBKS during the chase, proving that he can adjust as per the situation’s demands.
#1 Developing his 360-degree game as a finisher
There has been a massive improvement in Dinesh Karthik’s shot-making skills. Across both the games that he has played for RCB so far, Karthik hit the ball all around the stadium and has managed to read the field well.
Karthik has honed his skills in scoring in unconventional areas, enhancing his reputation as a 360° player, particularly in slog overs. The 38-year-old is an experienced campaigner and has all the attributes that a batter must possess while finishing the innings.
While there are plenty of options at Team India’s disposal, with several youngsters and some senior players plying their trade for a place in the squad, it’s going to be extremely difficult for Karthik to make his way. But he’ll make sure that he puts his best foot forward if given a chance on the global stage.