Blogs Dinesh Karthik: What Holds In His Cricketing Future?
October 26th, 2007 by prashantThis story has been quite interesting so far. With a lots of twists and turns. Here are some highlights.
- Dinesh Karthik was first talked about as a wicket-keeper who could bat, creating positive pressure on Dhoni.
- Then he was brought in as a specialist middle-order batsman.
- Then he was promoted to #3 in ODIs every now and then and
- Was eventually asked to open the innings in Tests.
- He was also instrumental in India’s T20 win when it toured South Africa in 2006.
- He is looked at as one of the best fielders taking super catches (including one of Graem Smith in T20 WC), but also drops absolute dollies (as in the Lords test)
So where is he heading? and more importantly which of the above is real Dinesh Karthik? A Wicket-Keeper Batsman? Middle Order? Finisher? Test Opener? None or all of the above?
October 27th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
I guess even the selectors themselves do not know what’s up with DK. He has been either dropped or rested for the first 2 ODIs against Pakistan.
October 27th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I believe he started as a wicketkeeper who could bat. But along the way, he seems to have become a ‘bits and pieces’ player. If he starts bowling as well, maybe he will become India’s answer to Paul Collingwood - good batsman, brilliant fielder (in DK’s case, good wicket-keeper too) and a handy bowler!
I think the selectors just gambled by asking him to open the test innings and the gamble paid off. I think he has been rested for the first 2 ODIs given his less than impressive performance recently. But I think that essentially, he is a wicket-keeper batsman who was forced to take up other things (or decided to do so) because he no longer was the first choice wicket-keeper in both(now three) versions of the game!
November 1st, 2007 at 4:54 am
Dinesh Kartik is good but not better or Best. he is in the category of mohd.kaif, agarkar, suresh raina etc. I have made a very strong comment in the past that India should have players who are strongly built and still have skills of the game. in recent years this game has become more of Power Play like in Tennis. There are many who are in line to replace D.K like gujrat’s wicket keeper Batsman Mr. Patel(name?). i do not understand why he was dropped in the past and why his name is not under consideration.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:04 am
I think Parthiv Patel was dropped because of his deteriorating wicket-keeping. His mistakes cost us the series win in Australia. But he has come back strongly with big performances with the bat on the domestic circuit and apparently his wicket-keeping has improved too. He is definitely in the wings to make a comeback in the test squad.
The problem I see is that Patel is a specialist wicket-keeper. Karthik is more than handy as a wicket-keeper too. Plus, he provides the flexibility of being a fielder as well. Since Dhoni cannot be dropped and Karthik is also the opening batsman in tests, it will be very difficult for Patel to come in the squad.
November 2nd, 2007 at 5:46 pm
Ha, it might be a good idea to have multiple wicket-keeper/batsmen in the team. That will at least improve our fielding department. Just a thought…
November 7th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
With Dhoni as the captain in all the three versions of the game, Karthik will have to establish himself as a batsman if he needs to be in the side. I even think that instead of practicing to keep up his wicket keeping abilities, Karthik should give that up completely, and concentrate entirely on his batting and fielding. Only then will he have a realistic chance of being a regular in the team. With Dhoni only 26, Karthik will probably not get a chance to be the wicket keeper for the next 8 to 10 years. Karthik is a brilliant fielder, and a really good bastman, but has been inconsistent. I think he will become a very good batsman if he concentrates only on batting without worrying about wicket-keeping. One only has so much time to practice and hone one’s skills, especially with all the playing time and advertisement commitments.
Parthiv Patel is all but history. I won’t completely write him off, but he may be able to make a comeback only if Dhoni is not able to play because of injury or something like that.
It is very heartening to see a slew of wicketkeeper batsmen from India these days… especially after growing up watching the likes of Kiran More, Nayan Mongia, Vijay Yadav, MSK Prasad, Saba Kareem, etc… each of whose batting can be termed average at best… and mediocre most of the time!
November 10th, 2007 at 5:48 am
Remember guys Robin Uthappa too is a handy wicket keeper. And there is always the option of asking Rahul Dravid to keep( being the hardcore, selfless ‘team man’ , he will never refuse), India is suddenly having more keepers than it could ask for.
November 25th, 2007 at 1:49 am
Karthik failed again in the 2nd innings with India chasing 203 to win. Hmm. I am sure he is making a few people think as to where he would end up.
December 8th, 2007 at 8:34 am
I believe that Karthik is playing the most important innings of his career right now. If he plays well and helps India amass a huge total, his place is there, else he will be dropped to make way for someone else.
December 11th, 2007 at 2:54 pm
I agree…and Karthik didn’t give it his best shot. He failed with the bat and had an even more torrid time behind the stumps (of course Ishant Sharma too had a role to play).
Gambhir didn’t make most of the opportunity given to him too! But Karhik played well in England and WI, so that would weigh in his favor. Of course, everything would change if Dravid is asked and agrees to open the innings!
February 4th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
All said and done, Kathik did not open in Australia. He didn’t even get a match in the Test series. Played the T20 match but did not play the first ODI. for some odd reason, when I see him now, he is reminding me of Kaif. I am personally not very optimistic about his chances unless he changes things around dramatically.