It has taken three long years, but Dinesh Karthik has finally made a comeback into the Indian one-day international squad. Karthik’s comeback bid was bolstered by a memorable domestic season during which he scored a healthy 577 runs averaging nearly 65 for Tamil Nadu coupled with a wonderful IPL season for Mumbai Indians thus far, in which he has totaled 331 runs in 10 matches. But while Karthik has got a deserved opportunity to make a comeback, he must ensure that he utilises the chance if he makes it to the playing XI.
Karthik has clearly failed to make good use of the opportunities he has been presented with in the past. His ODI record speaks for itself. In a total of 52 matches, he has scored 1008 runs, averaging on 27.24 with five fifties and a highest score of 79. To be fair to Karthik he has been unlucky to be playing in the same era as MS Dhoni. Yet, it is also true that he has been given chances to prove himself as a specialist batsman in the past, but has failed to grab the same. Here’s a closer look at Karthik’s stop-start ODI career.
Phase I: September 2004
Karthik got a chance to make his debut as a 19-year-old against England at Lord’s in 2004. Although he made only one with the bat, Karthik left his indelible mark on the game effecting the brilliant stumping of Michael Vaughan while being airborne. These were early signs of his agility. But, after playing another match for India, against Kenya in the 2004 Champions Trophy at Southampton, he was shown the door. A certain Mr. Dhoni had closed it for him briefly.
Phase II: April 2006-October 2007
If Karthik would have felt hard done by at being axed after only a couple of ODI games, he had no such reason to complain after being given a second chance. He was part of the Indian squad for more than a year between 2006 and 2007. During this duration, he featured in 24 matches, in which he managed only 329 runs, averaging under 24. He scored only two half centuries during his period, 58 not out against Bangladesh and 63 against West Indies. At the same time, he got starts against other teams, but did not convert them. Not surprisingly, he was dropped following an unconvincing stint.
Phase III: June 2009 to August 2010
After spending a couple of years in the wilderness, Karthik forced his way back into the Indian squad on the basis of strong domestic performances. This was a better phase in Karthik’s ODI career, and he also looked a lot more confident. In 26 matches that he played during this period, Karthik managed 678 runs with a highest of 79 and an average of 31. He scored three half-centuries during this period –one against South Africa, one against West Indies and the match-winning 66 against Sri Lanka in the 2010 Asia Cup final at Dambulla. However, he hit a bad patch thereafter, scoring just 33 in his last five ODI innings, and thus was sacked again.
--By A Cricket Analyst
