IPL 2022 playoffs - Shoaib Akhtar hails Dinesh Karthik for making stellar comeback after personal setbacks

Former Pakistani pacer Shoaib Akhtar has lavished high praise on Dinesh Karthik for overcoming "personal setbacks" and not letting them affect his cricketing career. Without going into the details, the 46-year-old said that, having read about the keeper-batter’s story, he holds the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) batter in high esteem.

Karthik recently made a comeback into the Indian T20I squad for the home series against South Africa on the back of a stellar IPL 2022 season. The 36-year-old has been RCB’s designated finisher for the season and has played some incredible cameos at the death.

The veteran batter is expected to be in the thick of things when RCB take on the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2022 Eliminator at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Wednesday.

While discussing the match on Sportskeeda, Akhtar extolled Karthik and stated:

“I usually avoid speaking about people’s personal lives. What I want to say here is that he had suffered some setbacks in his personal life, but he came back really well after that. I have followed his personal life and read quite a bit about it. And I really like how he has come back. I would say well done to him. This is what attitude is all about.”

Despite a failed first marriage, Karthik kept focusing hard on cricket. He is now happily married to renowned squash player Dipika Pallikal. The couple became parents to twin boys last year.

View the IPL 2022 orange cap here.

“Dinesh Karthik is a player from my era” - Shoaib Akhtar

Akhtar also praised the experienced keeper-batter for his longevity in the game, pointing out that he was playing when Karthik entered international cricket.

Sharing his thoughts on the RCB cricketer’s return to the Indian team, Akhtar said:

“It’s a big thing. Dinesh Karthik is a player from my era. He’s really fit and mentally strong. Good things happen to good people. Great to see the way he has made a comeback into the Indian team. My best wishes are with him.”

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Karthik made his international debut in 2004, seven years before Akhtar played his last match for Pakistan. In a stop-start, the Tamil Nadu cricketer has represented India in 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20Is.