Dinesh Karthik of Royal Challengers Bangalore plays a shot. (IPL | PTI) Dinesh Karthik has made a strong case for another India comeback with his stellar run in the IPL 2022 so far.
Karthik, who has been playing the role of a finisher for RCB, has had the highest strike rate among the leading run-getters in the tournament scoring 210 runs in seven innings at 205.88.
His unbeaten knock of 66 from 34 balls earned plaudits as RCB beat Delhi Capitals by 16 runs last week.
Karthik last played for India in the ODI World Cup in 2019. But the 36-year-old, who has been sharpening his T20 finishing skills, has maintained that the motivation to play for India remains as strong as ever.
Dinesh Karthik plays a shot in IPL 2022. (IPLT20) “The bigger vision was to play for the country. I know there is a World Cup around the corner. I want to be part of that World Cup desperately and help India cross the line.
“It’s been a long time since India won a multi-nation tournament. I want to be that person who is helping India do that. For that, you need to prepare differently, you need to be aware of so many things and try and be that player where people stand up and notice you and say, ‘hey this guy is doing something special and I wanted to be that guy.”
Karthik was also asked about the chants in the middle. In a midst of his calculated aggression, the crowd at Wankhede stadium began to rally around their talisman. “DK DK,” the arena echoed and even the good-old demand for a sixer began to reverberate around: “Dk DK, we want a sixer!”
“Everybody who loves to do something on a public scale enjoys the name being called out. The greatest of the athletes, the greatest of musicians, and artists all over the world crave that feeling. The fact that I am getting it right now makes me feel very blessed and grateful. These are the moments that people play sports for or do something creative and hope these things happen,” Karthik said in the post-match mood video put out by RCB.
“Now to get that is a great feeling,” he said.
Karthik made his debut in 2004 and has played 36 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 32 T20 Internationals.
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