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Dinesh Karthik made a comeback to the Indian T20I team after a brilliant season with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in this year's IPL. He will be a part of the team that travels to South Africa for the T20 series, which starts on June 9.
Karthik scored 330 runs in 16 innings at a strike rate of 183 and an average of 55. He was adjudged the 'Super Striker of the Season' for having the best strike rate among the batters who faced a minimum of 100 deliveries and batted in seven or more innings.
On that note, let's take a look at three reasons why the series against South Africa will be extremely important for Dinesh Karthik.
#3 It could be his last chance to make a mark for the Indian team
Dinesh Karthik was dropped from both the white-ball teams following India's semi-final exit in the 2019 ODI World Cup.
However, Karthik had performed extremely well for the country in the 20-over format after his recall in 2017. He scored 299 runs in 17 innings at a strike rate of 162 and was dismissed just five times. His removal from the T20I team did not make any sense.
One can never be certain of their spot with the amount of competition in the national team. Dinesh Karthik turned 37 today and he might not physically offer the team much beyond two or three years in the format.
Hence, this series might just be the perfect opportunity for him to make a mark for the Indian team. His international career has always been deemed 'not good enough' given his capabilities.
With the likes of Sanju Samson also in contention with good performances in the IPL and age on his side, Karthik needs to bring his A-game forward in this series.
#2 He can showcase his abilities against a quality bowling unit
India will face a full-strength South African side in the 5-match series. Karthik has a good chance of starting in the playing XI, with a lot of the Indian regulars such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant being rested at regular intervals.
Some of the bowlers that Dinesh Karthik will face include Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, and Tabraiz Shamsi. It will be a challenge that he will surely be ready for. Karthik has done it in the IPL - arguably the most competitive T20 league in the world in a tough role over the last four to five seasons.
Few can doubt Dinesh Karthik at this level. However, a good series here will further strengthen his case for a spot in the squad for the T20 World Cup in October.
#1 A good string of performances can make him a regular in the T20I setup
If Dinesh Karthik performs well against South Africa, the Dravid-Rohit management might look to make him a regular in the Asia Cup and the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. However, this may cause a selection conundrum.
The top 3 (Rohit, Rahul, Virat) are most likely to remain the same given they are India's best hope of countering quality pace in Australian conditions. Rishabh Pant has done well in T20Is since his comeback against England last year and Suryakumar Yadav is in red hot form. Hardik Pandya has also made a comeback after leading the Gujarat Titans to an IPL title.
However, Dinesh Karthik's skill set is ideal for an Australian World Cup. He can take down pace at will and has an excellent range of shots in his repertoire. Karthik is also definitely one of the best finishers in the country in the T20 format.
