3 ways in which Dinesh Karthik can make a comeback into the Indian team
Indian middle-order batsman Dinesh Karthik recently expressed his desire to play in at least one of the next two World Cups. The former KKR captain last featured for India in the 2019 World Cup semi-final loss against New Zealand.
Dinesh Karthik made headlines following his heroics in the Nidahas Trophy final in 2018. The Tamil Nadu batsman clinched an improbable victory for India in the final over, staking his claim for a place in the T20 batting lineup. However, indifferent form kept Dinesh Karthik on the fringes, and he eventually lost his spot in the Indian team.
How Dinesh Karthik can make a comeback to the national side
With two T20 World Cups scheduled to be played in the next year, the opportunity is ripe for Dinesh Karthik to make a comeback into the national side. But with a number of young players in the fray, the 36-year-old will have his task cut out if he aims to don the India blues once again.
In this article, we look at three scenarios of how the veteran Indian batsman can make a comeback into the national setup.
#3. Brilliant IPL season
![Karthik will need to win matches for KKR as a finisher to have any chance of playing in the T20 WC [Credit: BCCI / IPL]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/07/07cf2-16264161296454-800.jpg)
For Dinesh Karthik to be back in the T20 side, he will need to have an excellent IPL season in the UAE this year.
The wicket-keeper batsman had an average first half of the IPL 2021 scoring 123 runs from seven games at an average of 31. The right-hander had a strike-rate of over 142 batting in the final 10 overs of the innings despite Kolkata playing their first three games on a slow Chepauk surface.
With plenty of competition in the Indian middle-order, Dinesh Karthik will have to prove his mettle as a finisher to have any hope of leapfrogging his counterparts.
#2. Backup wicket-keeper
![Karthik is a bankable keeper in the shortest formats [Credits: Twitter/IPL]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/07/e5ba7-16264168529651-800.jpg)
Another way Dinesh Karthik could make a comeback into the Indian side is as a back-up wicket-keeper. Although Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson are ahead in the race to don the keeping gloves, Karthik is an equally able and safe keeper with a wealth of experience behind him.
However, Dinesh Karthik will need to maintain his form and fitness at the optimal level to compete for the wicket-keepers slot in the Indian team.
If the Chennai-born cricketer can churn out runs consistently in the middle-order and both Kishan and Samson struggle to perform on the Sri Lanka tour, Dinesh Karthik could well be in the reckoning for a team India call-up.
#3. If experience is given priority in team selection
Dinesh Karthik has over 15 years of cricket behind him. He made his debut for India back in 2004 against England at Lord’s, and has been a part of three World Cup sides.
The gloveman has a plethora of experience of playing in tough and pressure situations and can come in handy at the T20 World Cup. Karthik’s presence in the side could also help some of the youngsters in the team who would be featuring in their first major tournament for the Indian team. If the selectors edge towards including an experienced pro to complement the youngsters in the squad, Karthik could be the man.
As Virat Kohli and Co. embark upon a journey to clinch a world title after 10 years, the presence of an experienced hand in the form of Dinesh Karthik could add tremendous value to the side.