Dinesh Karthik - the inspiration RCB need has been there all along

Dinesh Karthik may be well under two months shy of turning 39 but defying his age and a lack of game time round the year is not something he is averse to.

It was the case a couple of seasons ago when he delivered an all-time great campaign for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (or Bangalore as RCB were called back then) and it has been much the same in IPL 2024 as well.

A blip in between saw him endure a tough 2023 that could have almost certainly brought the curtains down on his career. With one last dance still left though, he has made every opportunity count as one of the few bright sparks in an otherwise dismal campaign for RCB.

Thursday evening saw Karthik notch up his 21st IPL half-century that almost single-handedly powered his team to 196/8 in the slog overs. He was the savior wading through in the midst of the thunder that was Jasprit Bumrah's masterful spell. The oxygen that kept the flame flickering for RCB.

But once again, the RCB bowlers endured a shocker that can arguably be termed as the worst display that IPL 2024 has witnessed thus far, leaving Bengaluru's campaign in limbo as the Mumbai Indians (MI) razed down the target with a whopping 27 deliveries to spare.

Notwithstanding that, one needs to talk about Karthik and yet another remontada in what has been a roller-coaster ride of a career.

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Dinesh Karthik toyed with MI's bowlers at the Wankhede Stadium

Thursday was the day RCB finally gave in to calls for Will Jacks' inclusion as the Englishman was handed his cap. The irony, however, was that it came at the cost of Cameron Green, the man they traded in and in turn, freed up MI's purse to welcome Hardik Pandya back into their fold. If there was anything that summed up their miseries this campaign, this was perhaps as poetic as it could get.

But more on the free bird and less about freeing purses. A couple of seasons ago, this writer opined on how Karthik was that wine who was getting better with age. Donning the role vacated by a certain AB de Villiers, he showcased his full repertoire of shots in the death overs and ended his season with 330 runs at a staggering strike-rate of 183.33. 242 of those came in the last four overs with that strike-rate swelling to 220.

His astonishing numbers earned him a recall to the Indian T20 setup in a World Cup year. Having openly stated his desire to do something special for his country, the seeds of belief and an incredible work ethic yielded ripe fruit as he boarded the plane to Australia. Karthik's campaign at the World Cup may not have been inspiring but his road back into the national setup was a tale worth narrating in itself.

One-hundred and forty runs at an average of 11.67 and a strike rate of 134.61 in IPL 2023, plus a torrid time with the wicketkeeping gloves, raised doubts over Karthik's future as a player. Age, waning reflexes, and a lack of game time all pointed towards the proverbial sunset.

But the man had other ideas. A very popular voice behind the mic, the 'Giorgio Armani of broadcasting' as Michael Atherton famously dubbed him once has brought style and substance to the fore in his unique fashion with the bat.

It's been a throwback to 2022 in so many ways. Chants of 'DK, DK' whenever he strides out to bat and shots on either side of the wicketkeeper have been the hallmark of his batting again. Against MI, he was given a rough deal - asked to bat after two quick wickets and Shreyas Gopal's leg-spin in front of him despite a spin-hitter in Mahipal Lomror in the sheds.

He walked out in the 13th over - far from his ideal entry point. It was another instance of RCB's muddled decision-making as they went from not giving him a single delivery to face against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to giving him more than what was ideal.

Karthik was not muddled though. The manner in which he toyed with Akash Madhwal in the 16th over of the innings was as good a case in point as any.

Two reverse laps over the wicketkeeper and short third man marked an amusing over as he not only pre-empted the bowler's plan but effectively thwarted it while sticking to his guns. The third boundary was a slower one which he managed to place right between the aforementioned fielders post a late adjustment. A fourth also followed even as that came with its share of luck but that's something a player needs anyway in T20 cricket.

A couple of imperious pulls, a carve over third man, and a flat six over extra cover that brought back memories of the Nidahas Trophy-winning hit - off Bumrah no less - headlined a hitting exhibition of the highest order.

More than the eventual score - an unbeaten 53 off 23 deliveries, by the way - it was how he toyed with the MI attack that stood out. On a day only Rajat Patidar showed control of a similar kind with the bat for RCB, it was realistically far from what one would have expected of a man whose last competitive game before IPL 2024 was in December 2023.

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Karthik is now an uncaged bird flying free

A day after his unbeaten 28-run cameo powered RCB to their first - and until now, only - win of IPL 2024 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Karthik took to social media to post a picture with a cheeky caption:

'Me seeing those 'It's a World Cup year' memes'

A World Cup year and Karthik is on fire. The internet was not going to miss out on the opportunity to drive home that fact. Karthik, whose sense of humor in the commentary box has won the hearts of his listeners, was happy to chime in and have some fun himself.

That post also had a succinct message though. Of a man who was cherishing what is almost certain to be his final IPL season if his words to Nasser Hussain and Atherton on the Sky Sports Cricket Podcast are anything to go by.

In 2022, Karthik's charge was fueled by motivation to prove a point and break into the Indian team again as he capped off a sensational campaign. This time around, it's far from anything along those lines even as India's wicket-keeper's spot is once again up in the air with the T20 World Cup not far away.

It's of a player who has nothing left to prove to anyone. Of a man who wants to entertain the crowd and fulfill the wishes of those chanting his name in excitement in the stands. Of wanting to enjoy what could well be the last few days he holds a cricket bat in recognized top-level cricket.

That unshackled bird is flying but in a literal sense, is sending the ball flying into the stands at will again. Two different mindsets in 2022 and 2024 have produced similar results. And if there's anything RCB can seek inspiration from, it is from their 38-year-old ageless veteran.

That is exactly what RCB need - to play a brand of cricket that is fearless and one where every member of their team who takes the field enjoys the sport for what it is. While not quite the same, their campaign has now reached a point where they have nothing left to prove. It can liberate them like Karthik's free-flowing gameplay if they decide to play that way.

The team has a symbol of inspiration within their ranks who has and continues to defy the odds. It's up to the rest of the team to imbibe those qualities and salvage whatever they can of what remains of this campaign.

As for Karthik, it's about us as neutrals savoring the joy that is his batting for as long as it lasts. This IPL season has been different in many ways with the old order paving the way for the next-gen with regard to leadership. As far as players alone are concerned, one of the few men standing from the inaugural season could make way himself sooner than later.

But as long as he's around, he will leave no stone unturned in giving it everything to enthrall his teammates and his fans. And as long as that happens, him unleashing that full range of strokes will remain a sight to behold.