Why Dinesh Karthik should be a part of India's Test plans

While we can all agree that Wriddhiman Saha has done a magnificent job behind the stumps ever since MS Dhoni bid adieu to Test cricket in 2014, the Indian team has the right to expect more from their keeper-batsman than just keeping. The inclusion of Parthiv Patel in the squad for the South Africa Test series indicated that a wicket-keeper also needs to contribute with the bat.

Saha's prowess behind the stumps is second to none in the current international scene. Yet, it is not a secret that his batting abilities are limited. This is where Dinesh Karthik comes in. Although Karthik's keeping skills were questioned in his early days, they improved under former Indian wicket-keeper Kiran More and he now has one of the safest pairs of hands in the Indian circuit.

A regular in the limited-overs setup nowadays, he has proven to be dependable time and time again and by the looks of it, it seems like he will continue to do so in the future.

DK should be given an opportunity in Test cricket again

Karthik's batting skills have never been in doubt. In fact, he has had the knack of bailing India out in difficult times. When Virender Sehwag was horribly out of form during the 2007 tour of England, Karthik stepped up and embraced the opening spot. He was also quite successful in the middle-order when he replaced MS Dhoni in the 2014 World T20. His 8-ball 29 in the Nidahas Trophy final was a testament to his skill and temperament. Right now, India need someone of his calibre more than ever. Seeing the form he has been in of late, one can expect him to perform in the longest format as well.

In the limited opportunities he got in Tests, he scored 1000 runs in 37 innings at an average of 27.78 and a strike rate of exactly 50. He also has 1 century and 7 half-centuries to his name. However, these mediocre numbers do not do justice to his airtight batting technique. His First Class record of 9,214 runs in 157 matches at an average of 42.07 with 27 hundreds and 41 fifties are a testament to his ability and consistency.

It is necessary for India to give Karthik a shot at the wicket-keeping spot in the whites. Considering the fact they have a number of overseas tours coming up, Karthik's presence will only strengthen the Indian batting which seems fragile in overseas conditions. Moreover, his ability to bat in the top order will provide some much needed flexibility to the team. Being a proper batsman, he can bat at no. 6. This will allow India to either play 1 all-rounder in the form of Hardik Pandya along with 4 bowlers or further strengthen the batting by playing 1 more batsman and 4 bowlers.

In recent times, cricket pundits have come to expect big things from Karthik. Now, with the added responsibility of being the captain of the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, he will get a stage to showcase his maturity and temperament. It is about time that the Indian Team realizes his potential and gives him more opportunities.