Dinesh Karthik: Has India found a new match finisher?

Samarth Srivastava

Lucknow: That was a breath-taking stuff from Dinesh Karthik, the best which could happen to him with his bat in his 14-year long career so far. Karthik, who was struggling to get a place in playing eleven only a few matches ago, looked like settled into the groove.

He may have made his debut as a wicketkeeper batsman few months before Mahi’s inclusion in Team India but the superstardom of Mahendra Singh Dhoni made him the backup choice for the same spot.

He, somehow, became a ‘comeback’ man getting into the team as injury replacement on several occasions. Despite realizing that he cannot replace MSD, he did not lose hope and turned the despair into hope and what a perfect way to bulldoze into a place, not easily accessible to even some of the best talents.

In 2017, his performance in the domestic circuit made selectors pick him as a middle-order batsman. As there are many more contenders for the number 4, 5 spots, he waited patiently for his turn. In the given chances, he justified his inclusion.

It was not that he has not played any fine knock for the national side but a match-winning knock was still missing in his career-book. Then came was Nidahas Trophy, a tournament having ample of opportunities for the young guns and for those like Karthik who were put on hold due to the plenty of competition for every spot.

In other games of the contest, he did not get much to prove his ground except a handy 25-ball 39 run in Sri Lanka versus India game. The knock was satisfying but was not of a kind that will make him a centrepiece in Indian Cricket team.

Sunday was the day which Karthik would have never imagined, will leave long-lasting impact and will take his career to other dimensions.

The 32-year old wicketkeeper-batsman walked in with India needing 34 off 12. Bangladesh was already in a celebratory mood and even Indians were not pinning hopes on Karthik as they have never seen a match-finisher in him.

The day, however, was different for everyone and Karthik himself.

Also read: Lucknow may host IPL but its only upto franchises: MS Dhoni

Vijay Shankar, on the other end, was struggling to even rotate the strike Sri Lankan fans, who were supporting Indians after an on-field spat of Bangladesh with Lankans, have also lost their voice after the dismissal of Manish Pandey.

The day was, however, meant for Karthik's maverick act. He held his nerves till the end and did things for India, reminding Indians of once world's best finisher MS Dhoni. He took just 8 deliveries to land India on a wining platform with a last ball six.

The knock must be called a one having every potential to revive Karthik’s career.

Several players including Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Michael Vaughan, Sourav Ganguly and others heaped praise on Dinesh Karthik for his memorable eight-ball knock.

https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/975422188323930113

https://twitter.com/harbhajan_singh/status/975420255530094593

https://twitter.com/Wriddhipops/status/975420032304914434

https://twitter.com/VVSLaxman281/status/975419373438595072

https://twitter.com/RaviShastriOfc/status/975432577111744513

https://twitter.com/imVkohli/status/975571929766641664

https://twitter.com/akshar2026/status/975638972599848961

https://twitter.com/ImRaina/status/975433880021929993

https://twitter.com/ImRo45/status/975448184527794176