3 reasons why Dinesh Karthik is RCB's greatest Indian batter ever after Virat Kohli

The ageless Dinesh Karthik continues to defy all norms and traditions when it comes to smashing records and breaking glass ceilings.

Karthik showed his worth yet again when he almost single-handedly chased down the mammoth 288 set for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru by the SunRisers Hyderabad on April 15.

Played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, RCB were in the chase as long as Karthik was around. Although he tried his best with a 35-ball 83, he could not quite pull the game off.

Nonetheless, over the years, the 38-year-old Karthik has showcased why he is one of the most important cogs in the wheel for any team that he has turned out for in the IPL. It has been more so for RCB since he moved there in 2022.

One can even go as far as to say that after Virat Kohli, Karthik has been perhaps the greatest Indian batter to have played for this perennially underachieving franchise.

In this listicle, we bring to you three reasons why Dinesh Karthik is RCB's greatest Indian batter ever after Kohli.

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#1 Dinesh Karthik has stood up for them in times of need

One of Karthik's greatest qualities is that he has always stood up for RCB in times of need. He has never shrugged away from his responsibilities and made sure that he has fulfilled them like the true gentleman that he is, without creating any fuss.

Karthik has not said no to anything that the franchise has asked of him - either regarding his batting position or wicketkeeping duties.

He was also subbed off as an impact player earlier this season, but that did not hurt his ego, and he continued to work hard in the nets and contribute whenever he was given the opportunity to do so. This quality of Karthik's endears him to all.

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#2 No Indian batter except Kohli has produced enough good seasons for RCB

Dinesh Karthik playing a reverse ramp on Monday. [IPL]

One of the biggest reasons why one can argue that Karthik is the greatest batter after Kohli for RCB is his consistency, to go with the versatility mentioned above.

What makes Karthik stand apart from his competitors - and what makes him largely the greatest Indian batter for RCB after Kohli - is that he is extremely versatile.

He can play anywhere he is asked to - from the top order to the lower order to add firepower to this RCB batting unit. Karthik can also play two roles - either that of an anchor or a slogger.

And as his recent record suggests, he is as good a finisher as anyone in this country at the moment. He might as well be pushing for a spot in the T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and United States of America in June this year.

His willingness - as well as ability - to bat anywhere in the order and perform extraordinarily well there, holds him in good stead at all times.

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#3 He has mastered the finisher's role

Ever since the departure of AB de Villiers, it seems as if Karthik has almost taken it upon himself to become one of the finest finishers the franchise has seen.

What is perhaps the greatest thing about Dinesh Karthik is that his advanced years - he is 38 years and 320 days at the time of writing - hold no barrier to him being one of the finest batters to have turned out for the franchise over the years.

If anything, it appears as if Karthik has only matured more over the years and added a lot of depth to the RCB batting order.

What might have been of his international career had a certain MS Dhoni not appeared in the scene out of nowhere is up for conjecture, but the Tamil Nadu stumper still has 26 Tests, 94 ODIs, and 60 T20Is to his name.

Karthik has been the backbone of the RCB batting unit ever since he moved to Bengaluru in 2022. He had been a part of the franchise earlier in 2015 as well, but his stint with them now has been the tale of legends.