It’s hard to believe that Dinesh Karthik’s debut for the Indian T20I team came 16 years ago. Named as man of the match for that stunning performance, Karthik has nonetheless seen his game time curiously limited in a T20I format ever since. He’s played just 36 T2OIs in that time, which equates to just over two a year. How can someone so talented be so consistently overlooked?
The time for that state of affairs to change has surely arrived. After an outstanding 2021/22 season, Karthik’s name has once again been thrown into the ring as first-choice keeper-batsman for the national team – and it’s not difficult to see why. Here’s a rundown of the reasons why we believe Karthik deserves a starting role for India’s upcoming T20I matches.
Domestic form
At 37 years of age, Karthik appears to be in the form of his life. He was one of the indisputable star performers in the Indian Premier League this year – which is undoubtedly one of the most competitive and most accomplished cricket leagues in the world. With an unbelievable average of 55 runs across 16 innings, Karthik scored 330 runs in total. His keeping game was equally impressive, taking 10 catches and contributing to two stumpings as well. As a player in the form of his life, it’s a no-brainer to include Karthik in the squad or even the starting line-up.
Historical record
Karthik’s lack of game time since his debut in 2006 is even more puzzling when his record in the limited minutes he has played is taken into account. He’s averaged a very respectable 35.07 across 30 innings, with his strike rate of 146.13 particularly eye-catching. Nonetheless, a drop-off in form in 2018-19 saw him suffer an exodus from the national T20I team for three years, only to be recalled for this summer’s series against South Africa. He hasn’t disappointed, either, recording an excellent average of 46 and an even more impressive strike rate of 158.62.
Risabh Pant’s struggles
The man who currently occupies the starting berth in India’s T20I team has also been struggling to capture his best form of late. Question marks over his performance for the national selection go back as far as 2019, but his overall record does not make for pleasant reading in this format of cricket. Of course, there is no doubting his value to India in Test matches, having scored centuries in four different countries (Australia, England, India and South Africa). However, his batting average of 23.12 and strike rate of 105.56 is well below what you might expect of the T20I automatic starter.
Experience and influence
Finally, Karthik is a veteran of the sport who has been there and done all that before. While some may count his advanced age against him, there is certainly an argument to be made that his experience stands him in good stead when handling pressure and exerting a calming influence on his teammates. What’s more, his versatility means he can play anywhere across the middle order, providing India with the spark they have been missing since the retirement of MS Dhoni in August 2019.
Having waited in the wings of India’s T20I team for years, it’s high time Dinesh Karthik was given the chance to prove his mettle as his country’s starting keeper-batsman.
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