RCB’s 38-year-old keeper Dinesh Karthik has made it a habit to make a statement with his thunderous stands at the crease currently in the IPL so far, as the veteran’s case for being chosen to the upcoming T20 World Cup squad gets louder.
Age is merely a number for the seasoned campaigner Karthik, but they also speak volumes about his form and ability with the bat so far this season.
As a lower-middle order batter, Karthik has notched up a sensational251 runs in 8 outings for RCB so far this season, at an average of 62.75 and a whopping strike rate of 196.09. He has often times proven to be the ace in the hole for an otherwise struggling Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
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But, amidst the sea of voices, one more voiced his opinion on Karthik out recently, and it was none other than legendary former Indian opener Virender Sehwag, who came out and stated that Karthik’s inclusion in the WC squad is not optimal.
Sehwag in fact, joked on the notion of Karthik’s inclusion, stating that if he was to be considered for the T20 World Cup squad due to his current form, then MS Dhoni should be considered as well.
“Our producer was being cheeky and was stating ‘You know, Dinesh Karthik made a statement’. So, I said Dinesh Karthik may have made a statement, but that doesn’t mean that he should be a part of the World Cup XI or the World Cup team,” said Sehwag on the Prairie Fire Podcast hosted by Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan.
“No doubt he has played well, but MS Dhoni has also played well too. So, you should take him also if you are taking Dinesh Karthik. Both of them were there in the first T20 World Cup, which was won by India. So by that logic, take them again, so that we may win the World Cup again. I said it as a joke.”
But, the interesting fact to be aware of here is if Karthik does find fortune, this would not be the first time he made the cut for the T20 World Cup squad following a productive showing in the IPL. His heroics in the 2022 IPL season, where he notched 330 runs for RCB, earned him a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.
Interestingly, Karthik has found himself in the same place again. There is a T20 World Cup right after this IPL season with too many keepers pushing their cases. Karthik, with these performances, has also put his name in the hat.
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