Dinesh Karthik vs South Africa in 2nd T20I
Dinesh Karthik It was an unusual day at the office during the second T20I between India and South Africa in Cuttack. With six overs of India’s innings remaining, Karthik came to the crease.
Four overs after coming to the crease, Karthik faced 14 balls and scored just eight runs. The pressure was definitely on, and with Harshal Patel at the other end, the responsibility of finishing the innings rested on his shoulders. Now consider this, you’re coming off a monstrous IPLA dream second wind in the Indian team, and a shot in Australia is on the line.
Let’s continue – your first proper international match since a dream comeback, and you come to the crease in front of a packed Cuttack stadium that is stunned in silence. Half the side is back in the hut, you’re batting with a bowler at the other end, and it’s your responsibility to finish the innings.
What does Dinesh Karthik do? Well, that one pulls Dinesh Karthik. Nortje came on to bowl the final over, and he hit him for two boundaries to end the over. One backward over square leg, and one behind square on the off side.
Pretorius came in to bowl the last over. Harshal hits the third ball of the over at extra cover and could have taken a pair, but Karthik refuses as he wants strike.
Well, if Hardik can deny him the strike, then he can definitely deny it to Harshal. The next two balls went for maximum and Karthik took India to 148.
The next two balls show why Karthik is playing where he is. It reminded fans at the stadium, in the Indian dug-out and at home that Karthik is here to stay. He’s not going anywhere.