Dale Steyn, the former South Africa pacer said if Dinesh Karthik continues with his sublime form, then he would be the first one to make his way to the Indian squad for the T20I World Cup 2022.
Dinesh Karthik has been the center of all discussions following India’s series-leveling win against South Africa in Rajkot. He scored his maiden fifty in the shortest format of the game in the previous 4th T20I, playing a massive role in clinching an 82-run victory against the Proteas. His inning was laced with 9 fours and 2 maximums, reaching the milestone off 26 balls.
Dale Steyn: Dinesh Karthik Is Going To Be One Of The First Names In Indian Squad For 2022 T20I World Cup If He Continues His Form
Former South Africa spearhead Dale Steyn lavished huge praise on the veteran wicketkeeper-batter, stating that Dinesh Karthik has shown what a class player he is. During a conversation, the former pacer said if Dinesh Karthik continues with his sublime form, then he would be the first one to make his way to the Indian squad for the T20I World Cup 2022.
“DK has just come out every single time and shown what a class player he is. If you want to win the World Cup, you want to pick a guy who is in form. There are guys whose team will pick on reputation, but DK is in such fantastic form, if he continues this form, he is going to be one of the first names written down on the plane when India tours for the World Cup later this year,” said Dale Steyn.
Dinesh Karthik has been having a great time on the field this year. He had scored more than 300 runs in the IPL 2022 for RCB, playing the role of a finisher. On the back of an impressive IPL season, he returned to the Indian T20I squad after a hiatus of more than three years.
Dale Steyn: Dinesh Karthik Has Been In Phenomenal Form And Is Getting Better And Better This Year
Dale Steyn further opined that Dinesh Karthik has been getting better and better with every game he’s playing and understanding his game very well.
“DK has been in phenomenal form. This year, he is getting better and better. He has the wicketkeeper mentality, he reads the game really well, he knows and understands what bowlers are trying to do and he backs it up with very good skill.
“He reverse sweeps, sweeps, laps. They are shots being played by somebody who reads and understands the game, understands what the bowler is going to bowl when before he runs up to bowl,” Dale Steyn said.
“He does it so well, he attacks the first and last ball of the over, he puts the bowlers under pressure on ball one, and then the guys, they don’t really have an answer,” he added.
Dinesh Karthik used to play as a top-order batter early in his career, even scoring his only Test century as an opener against Bangladesh in 2007. In his latest incarnation, however, Dinesh Karthik terrorized the opposition bowling attacks in the IPL 2022 with big-hitting as a lower-order finisher. He ended up scoring 330 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of a whopping 183.33.
Dinesh Karthik made his India debut in 2004 and went on to play India’s first-ever T20I match in 2006. If all goes well, he will play the ICC T20I World Cup 2022 at the ripe age of 37 plus. Dinesh Karthik has scored 92 runs averaging 46 in 4 games in the ongoing 5 matches T20I series against South Africa.