Despite having an abundance of talent, aggressive wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik has been an inconsistent name on the Indian team sheet. When we talk about DK (Dinesh Karthik is popularly known), a flash of memory appears in the mind of every fan when the swashbuckling batter hammered a giant six off the last ball to beat Bangladesh in the Nidahas Trophy final in 2018. Always overshadowed by MS Dhoni, DK could represent India in only 154 matches comprising ODIs, T20Is and Tests.
DK is also known for his perseverance and determination. He is popularly known as a comeback man in Indian cricket. The Chennai-born cricketer managed to bounce back after hitting the rock bottom from all sorts of issues in his life, both on and off the pitch. Whether getting cheated on or getting dropped from the national side, DK has fought it all and proved his calibre to once again rule the hearts of the Indian fans. Let’s have a look at his comeback stories:
When India locked horns with South Africa in their first-ever T20I against South Africa in Johannesburg on December 1, 2006, Karthik scored an unbeaten 31 off 28 balls to guide India to a thrilling six-wicket victory. However, after that he faced a battle for a place in the Indian team with Dhoni. While Dhoni retired from international cricket after playing 90 Tests and 350 ODIs, DK has only appeared in 26 Tests and 94 ODIs for Team India so far.
Then DK realised that he may not be able to enter the playing XI as a wicketkeeper-batter due to the presence of Dhoni. Subsequently, he honed his batting skills and added many unorthodox shots in his armoury to make it to the Indian team as a specialist batter on multiple occasions.
It was in England in 2007, Karthik opened the innings with Wasim Jaffer in all three Tests. His 136-ball 77 in the first innings of the second Test at Nottingham laid the foundation of India’s series-defining victory. With a total of 263 runs at an impressive average of 43.83, he was India’s highest run-getter in the series. However, he was dropped from the Test team after scoring only 115 runs at 19.17 in a three-match series against Pakistan at home in the same year.
Karthik made a splendid comeback as a specialist batter at the ODI World Cup 2019 in England. But, he was once again dropped from the side after he failed to make much of an impression during the mega event. He was already 34 then.
And, it seemed as if curtains had come down on his international career. But, DK had other ideas in mind. By virtue of Karthik’s perseverance, determination, and grit, the 37-year-old veteran was selected in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2022. He was selected for the mega event on the basis of his IPL exploits. He is still going with great guns and who knows what fate has written for him in coming days.
Fans and experts often appreciate the grind the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman went through in his career and his story is a testament of never giving up attitude.