4 Reasons why Dinesh Karthik’s exclusion isn’t the end of the road for him
The World Cup is only a stone’s throw away and teams have already started pruning down their squads for the mega competition. The Indian team has been no different. After successful ODI tours to Australia and New Zealand, they now face the former on their own patch.
A total of 20 players were named for the ODIs and T20Is with several fringe players provided a chance to stake their claim. Yet, a decision that left the entire cricketing community flabbergasted was the omission of Dinesh Karthik from the ODI team.
The wicket-keeper has been in a rich vein of form and has adapted to whichever role the team management has asked of him. Moreover, he looked at home as the lower-order dasher during the tour Down Under. Thus, his exclusion caused more than a furrowed brow or two.
Distinguished cricket experts of the ilk of Sanjay Manjrekar went as far as saying that it might be the last we saw of Karthik in the ODI format.
Yet, I beg to differ and through this article, I would pen down four reasons which prove that the wicket-keeper is still a major part of India’s ideas for the World Cup. Here is a look at them.
#4 KL Rahul has been given a final chance
The latter half of 2018 and the early part of 2019 has been as tumultuous as any for KL Rahul. He failed to inspire in the Test arena and his dubious appearance on a TV show cast further doubt over his involvement with the Indian team.
He was slapped with a ban in January. He subsequently missed the white-ball series in Australia and New Zealand. After his suspension was lifted, he was asked to strengthen his credentials and the batsman did so by notching a couple of fifty-plus scores for India A. Thus, he was brought back into the fold for the home series against the Aussies.
When on song, there are very few batsmen who can rival Rahul’s effortless stroke play. Hence, the selectors gave in to the temptation of providing the opener with one last opportunity to prove his mettle.
Inevitably, someone had to miss out and Karthik was the one given the ax. Yet, if Rahul fails to set the world ablaze, Karthik could be back in the loop in a jiffy.