Nidahas to Nottingham: A story of two halves for Dinesh Karthik
It was a fairy-tale ending to an almost anti-climactic match, that something we have come to witness over the last few seasons with the matches played between two fiery nations coming out of the subcontinent that is India and Bangladesh. But as it has been the case with Mushfiqur's team and their bad fortune they ended up on the wrong side of the line yet again, due to a pretty uncharacteristic but a gritty customer who we have now come to know as The Dinesh Karthik.
That day not only did Dinesh Karthik put any naysayers to rest but also exorcised his demons for an unfulfilled and sometimes unfortunate career. It also did not help that it coincided with one of the most legendary cricket careers comparable only to the likes of Sachin, Ganguly which was to have a Midas touch so magical, that made India the world-beating side it is today at least in the limited-overs format. It is none other than MS Dhoni.
In fact, Dinesh Karthik made his debut 3 months before MS Dhoni did, but could not establish himself as a reliable gloveman and his natural game prevented him from playing the swashbuckling innings, that defined and launched Dhoni into a league of his own which he is still very much part of.
But that is all in the past, this was the new and rejuvenated Dinesh Karthik. That Nidahas Trophy finals might well be his Wankhede Wonder and will most likely be the highlight reel of his career. He shed all his restlessness and inhibitions that night to come out on top.
But there was this another Dinesh Karthik that went on the tours of South Africa in 2006 and unsurprisingly was the highest run-scorer for India in their victorious campaign in England in 2007. He opened the innings for India which was and still remains the toughest position to come in to bat.
He scored 263 runs to be exact in the series and scored 77 runs in his first outing and 22 runs in the 4th innings in Trent Bridge, Nottingham (also coincidentally the ground for the next match in the ongoing series) to win that match for India and also seal the series for his team. His batting was bereft of any technical flaws in countering the swing of the then young legs of James Anderson but also scoring at a brisk pace which ensured the scoreboard kept on ticking.
This was 11 years ago when India had probably its greatest generation in terms of batting masterclass. This was also before the self-doubts of not representing the country more might have haunted him. But this is 2018, and he is 11 years older but wiser as well. He no more has to contend with mastery of once in a generation player and any doubts about his finishing skills have been laid to rest by him in that gem of an innings in Colombo.
So what has changed for him then? Alas, the beautiful game of cricket is also a wonderful leveller.
Sure, the chopping and changing of the squad may have put in some self-doubts in him and it has not helped that his keeping skills have been average at best. But it was his batting that got him back into the side, and that is the only thing that can pull him out of this rut.
It will be unfair and again unfortunate for the guy, who has to now contend his place in the side with another familiar swashbuckling southpaw who happens to be 12 years his junior, if the training sessions are anything to go by.
He again finds himself in that frustrating but familiar conundrum of not having his place confirmed in the side. Bbut then again he will not complain as he is one tough customer who has seen the worst of his sporadic career but then his comeback gets better every time.
It may not be as glorious as Mohinder Amarnath's against the all-conquering West Indies of the 70s and 80s, but it won't be as ugly and frustrating as his formative years in the international arena.
He just has to let this time flow and know that his time will arrive as it always does and he will do what he has always done, struggle to etch his name in the short but a credible list of players that have made tenacity a second nature to themselves.