Dinesh Karthik gets first dose of COVID vaccine
Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has become the latest name from the cricket world to be vaccinated. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) star took his first jab of the COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday (May 11) and informed his fans about the same.
Dinesh Karthik uploaded a photo from the vaccination center where he received his first shot. The Kolkata Knight Riders left a purple heart in the comments box of Karthik's post, which has gained over 35,000 likes inside two hours.
As mentioned ahead, Dinesh Karthik was a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad in IPL 2021. Unfortunately, there was a COVID outbreak in the KKR team as Varun Chakravarthy, Prasidh Krishna, Tim Seifert and Sandeep Warrier tested positive. Luckily, Dinesh did not contract the virus and returned home safely.
With English players unlikely to participate in the rescheduled IPL 2021 season, Dinesh could lead the Kolkata Knight Riders in Eoin Morgan's absence. He may even return to the Indian cricket team for the Sri Lankan tour.
Will the selectors give Dinesh Karthik another chance to prove himself?
Dinesh Karthik is one of the most experienced active Indian cricketers. The wicketkeeper-batsman lost his place in the national team after the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England. However, a comeback could be on the cards because BCCI will most likely name a second-string squad for the upcoming Sri Lankan tour.
The likes of Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul will be unavailable for selection because of the England tour. In their absence, Dinesh Karthik could keep the wickets for the team. Karthik also has a lot of captaincy experience under his belt, so he could be a wildcard choice for the skipper's role.