England vs India 2018: Five players for whom the T20I series is very crucial

#3 Dinesh Karthik

Karthik deserves all the accolades he is receiving now

Dinesh Karthik has been in tremendous form of late. Never has he looked so good while batting. He has always been there, knocking the doors of the Indian cricket team but never quite made it big. Had it not been for Dhoni, Karthik would have reached far greater heights in international cricket, which he has managed to play only intermittently over the years.

Now that he is getting his share of opportunities he needs to build upon his performances in the recent past. Only then can he cement his place in playing XI in limited-overs squads. The Indian middle-order presently has plenty of options to choose from. But Karthik's selection may be limited due to Dhoni's presence. Nevertheless, if he plays out of his skin and proves his worth purely as a batsman, no one can withhold him from cementing his place in the playing XI.

This T20I series is a chance for him to not only secure a place in the T20 side but also make a case for his selection in the playing XI in the ODI series that follows next. With Rahul, Pandey and Raina also competing for middle-order spots in the T20I side, Karthik will be hoping for an opportunity to play a game. If he gets one in the T20 series the next thing that he has to make sure is an adroit display of batting skills in English conditions.