It took almost 13 years for Dinesh Karthik to bag his moment of glory in the world of cricket. His last innings in the Nidahas Trophy final against Bangladesh will now be a part of Indian cricketing folklore. Under extreme pressure and extraordinary circumstances, he came in and played proper cricketing shots to win the match for India.
Karthik’s last ball six not only won the game for India but gave him the much-needed moment of recognition in international cricket. Those 29 runs off 8 balls were his statement of intent. The innings was the perfect example of the importance of keeping spirits high under adversity and being prepared to give your best, whenever opportunity strikes.
But it didn’t come easy for Karthik as it's never easy to live in the shadow of a giant cricketer. Karthik made his debut for India in 2004, and since then his chances at the international level has been rare and sporadic. It wasn't his fault, as MS Dhoni had just started playing for India; and there is only one spot for a wicket-keeper batsman in the team. But Karthik, with his ‘never say die’ spirit, contagious energy and attitude, kept working hard and scoring runs. He kept pushing the team management to make sure he was always in contention for selection.
Before the Nidahas Trophy final, his finest moment was his valuable contribution as an opening batsman in India's rare overseas victory against England in 2007. Against the likes of James Anderson on the spicy green wicket, Karthik, in the absence of dropped Virender Sehwag, played as an opening batsman to display his technique and temperament to make the vital contribution for his side.
With 263 runs in three Test matches, Karthik was the highest run scorer for India in the series, in a team that had legends like Tendulkar, Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman – and that too as a makeshift opener. But then, the team couldn't afford to have two keepers in the side and Karthik had to wait for his chance.
Despite being sidelined, whenever you met DK, as he is fondly called in cricket circles, you’d seldom sense even a hint of regret or frustration. He kept working hard on his game and trained in a way that whenever and wherever he gets an opportunity, he was ready for the battle. Karthik was lucky to have access to a platform like the IPL, for him to exhibit his talent and stay in the reckoning. His ability to take up any challenge and any situation has been the hallmark of Karthik's career.
There is a reason why he has attracted high bids over the last few years. Traits like the right attitude, the willingness to bat at any position and the eagerness to do anything for the team – all of these just serve to add to his appeal. Most cricketers have only good things to say about DK. He is a no-fuss kind of a person who is just focused on doing his job. But despite staying out of the team for so many years, it is remarkable that Karthik didn’t allow it to affect his mental balance.
As a batsman, Karthik is gifted with quick feet movement and with an array of strokes. The advent of T20 has given him a chance to improvise his game and add few mavericks strokes in his batting style.
Not many Indian batters can play the lap shot with such ease and confidence. Under extreme pressure in the final game, he played this shot on the last ball of the 19th over to make the most of the fine leg fielder who was inside the ring.
The shot showed how he backs his ability to play these delicate strokes. Against fast bowlers, he can flick, cut and drive with a penchant, and he would be one of the best sweepers against spinners in India. He is probably the first one to make that transition of tackling spinners with sweep shots rather than using feet against them, in India.
Karthik couldn’t have asked for a better frame of mind before embarking on an extremely crucial phase of his cricketing journey. Heis all set to lead the high-profile Kolkata Knight Riders and this innings is bound to add to his self-belief as he preps to helm this revamped Shah Rukh Khan side.
There is already talk of how Karthik can replace Dhoni. But why should he?
With this commanding performance, Karthik can stake a claim for that critical No. 6 position as a batsman alone in the ODI side. And in case of an injury, he could be used as a reserve wicket-keeper. India has been looking for someone like him for a while. Karthik deserves this glory and a proper chance to resurrect his career. He has one now. Better late than never.
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