Can Dinesh Karthik get selected in India squad for T20 World Cup 2024?

Dinesh Karthik has a strike rate of 205.85 in the ongoing IPL 2024.

Dinesh Karthik, the veteran batter-keeper, has once again become the subject of discussion as to whether he should be part of the Indian squad for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024. This is after his amazing finishing knocks in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Especially after his brilliant 83 from 35 balls with seven sixes and five fours for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the ongoing IPL 2024 on Monday, April 15. SRH had been asked to bat first and posted a record 287/3 with Travis Head scoring 102 and Heinrich Klaasen doing his usual bit of hitting sixes and fours and pummeling bowlers into submission.

RCB began their chase with equal disdain as Virat Kohli (42 in 20) and Faf du Plessis added 80 runs in just 6.2 overs. Du Plessis continued the assault, scoring 62 in 28 balls with 7 fours and 4 sixes to his name.

But after their departure, RCB lost a few wickets in middle overs as well, until in walked Dinesh Karthik. He scored a breathtaking 83 in 35 balls with 7 sixes and 5 fours. He added 50-plus runs with Mahipal Lomror (19) and Anuj Rawat (25*) with him being the main contributor.

He helped RCB post 262/7 in 20 overs and reduced the margin of defeat to only 25 runs.

Will Dinesh Karthik repeat his feat of 2022 and make a comeback to Indian team for T20 World Cup?

Dinesh Karthik has been in good finishing form this IPL, with scores of 38*, 28*, 53* against MI, and now 83 against SRH. He has 226 runs with a strike rate of 205.45 in 6 outings and has hit 18 sixes and 16 fours.

He had a similar dream run in IPL 2022, when he joined RCB from KKR and scored 330 runs with a strike rate of 183, hitting 22 sixes as a finisher for his side. It led to him being recalled in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024 and he played 4 matches, scoring 14 runs only. His last game for India was against Bangladesh in Adelaide.

As BCCI selectors aim for a wicket-keeper batter for the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024, Karthik has put himself as a surprise option. Selectors have a few keepers to choose from as Sanju Samson of RR is in the third spot in IPL 2024 list for most runs with 264 runs to his name with three fifties and a strike rate of 155.29.

Rishabh Pant of DC has done well since returning to cricket from a 14-month break due to a car accident. He has scored 194 runs in 6 matches with a strike rate of 157. LSG captain KL Rahul has made 204 runs but at a relatively slow strike rate of 138.

When compared to this, Dinesh Karthik’s strike rate of 205.85 seems golden. But he will be 39 years old when the T20 World Cup starts on June 2. Though supremely fit and not having announced his retirement from international or Indian cricket, Karthik has only played IPL or domestic cricket for Tamil Nadu in the recent past.

Having not announced his retirement yet from international cricket and Indian cricket, Dinesh Karthik is well eligible to get a call-up to the Indian squad for T20 World Cup 2024, but it totally depends on how selectors think while preparing the roster for the big T20 event.

The selectors will be enticed to go with Karthik’s experience in the West Indies, but having a left-hander like Rishabh Pant in the side or someone like Sanju Samson, who can bat in the top four, gives India a lot of flexibility in the batting order.

It remains to be seen whether Dinesh Karthik does enough to warrant the BCCI selectors’ attention with his bat, or the selectors go with the future in the likes of Pant and Samson.

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