Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh claimed that if he were to be in the selection panel of the India team, he would give Royal Challengers Bangalore's Dinesh Karthik the ticket to play for India in ICC Men's T20 World Cup later this year in Australia.
IPL 2022 has seen Karthik churn out impactful finishing touches for Bangalore, scoring 274 runs in 12 matches at an average of 68.50 and a whopping strike rate of 200. With sorted footwork and dazzling shots, Karthik has brought himself back into reckoning for a comeback into India's T20I squad in a World Cup year.
Dinesh Karthik in action for RCB during IPL 2022
Image: BCCI
"Dinesh Karthik has been outstanding for RCB. He is very good at leg side shots than his off sides, excellent at taking singles but I think, over all he understands his game very well. Whenever he is left with last chances, he makes sure that he finishes the game," said Harbhajan on an episode of Gameplan show on Star Sports.
"For me, if anyone has played the best role of a finisher in this entire IPL then it is none other than Dinesh Karthik. If I were a selector I would have given him a ticket to Australia for World Cup T20 and let him play for India as wicket keeper and batsman because he deserves that," added Harbhajan.
Asked about his picks as finishers for the Indian team in World Cup, Harbhajan thinks Hardik Pandya would form a great pair with Karthik to provide finishing touches to the innings. "And if ever Indian cricket team needs the best finisher then it should be Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya as they make a very powerful side.
"Anyway, I have gone deep into the future but yeah once again, I must say Dinesh Karthik has been incredible this season and I hope he gets a chance to bat a little early. 15 to 16 overs are enough for him to finish the game."
RCB's Dinesh Karthik celebrating a victory with fans at IPL 2022
Image: BCCI
Bangalore's head coach Sanjay Bangar, in an episode of inside RCB show, stated how Karthik has been helping the young players in the team apart from dishing out consistent finishing kicks for the side.
"Dinesh Karthik has been pretty good for us, we chose him for a particular role because we knew that since after AB de Villiers left that's gonna be a big hole to fill. With his balance and skill set he has actually got the best out of our younger batsmen who bat at the middle order with him.
"So even at times he has batted with Mahipal Lomror or at times with Shahbaz (Ahmed) or with couple other batsmen and he's used all his experience not only taking that experience into his game but also how he's got the young batsmen to play around him is indeed a credit to his contribution to the team."
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