"Some prep stuff for an important tournament starting March end" - Dinesh Karthik explains why he is carrying 4 suitcases for commentary

Dinesh Karthik earned fans' attention on social media earlier in the day by posting a picture of himself with a lot of luggage. Karthik wrote in the caption that he was about to start his journey to Nagpur to join the commentary team for the India vs. Australia series, starting tomorrow morning.

Aakash Chopra was a little surprised to see Dinesh Karthik taking four suitcases and one handbag with him for commentary. The former Indian cricketer wondered if Karthik would wear a different suit every day of the coverage. Social media users guessed that Karthik would be carrying his kit with him.

The Indian wicket-keeper has now disclosed on Twitter why he had so much luggage with him. He wrote:

"Thanks for the wishes Aakash. Some work stuff and some prep stuff for an important tournament starting March end."

Karthik subtly hinted that he was going to work for the upcoming IPL season. The wicket-keeper batter is a part of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad for IPL 2023. He played a vital role in RCB's success last year, which is why the franchise retained him for the upcoming tournament.

Dinesh Karthik did not pick Shubman Gill in his India playing XI for 1st Test

England v India - Fifth LV= Insurance Test Match: Day Five (Image: Getty)

Before boarding the flight to Nagpur, Dinesh Karthik posted his predicted Indian playing XI for the first Test against Australia. The Indian wicket-keeper left out rising star Shubman Gill and picked debutants Suryakumar Yadav and KS Bharat in his playing XI instead.

As per Karthik, captain Rohit Sharma should open the innings with deputy skipper KL Rahul. Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Yadav, Bharat, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, and Ravichandran Ashwin formed the team's core, with Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami completing the playing XI.

---

Should Shubman Gill feature in the Indian playing XI for the first Test? Share your views in the comments box below.