Former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar has given a damning verdict on Dinesh Karthik’s ODI career after he was dropped from the upcoming series against Australia.
The Indian selection committee left some of the cricket fanatics mystified with the announcement of the 15-man squad for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. They sprung a huge surprise by inducting young stumper Rishabh Pant over Dinesh Karthik.
Following Karthik’s sudden snub from ODIs, cricketer-turned-commentator Sanjay Manjrekar feels it is the end of the road for Karthik in ODIs.
Since the 2017 Champions Trophy, Karthik has scored 425 runs in 20 matches at an average of over 47. 22. He also impressed with his finishing abilities during the tour of Australia and New Zealand. He played a key role in two wins by scoring two unbeaten innings of 25 and 38 in Australia and New Zealand respectively. He had also scored an impressive unbeaten 33 in the last T20I against New Zealand but India lost the game.
And with the selectors dropping him from the team just a couple of months before the World Cup, Sanjay Manjrekar feels it is the end of road for Karthik in ODIs.
“His fans will feel sorry because with the opportunity he has got, he has done as well as he could but I feel with this selection or non-selection of Karthik, India have told everyone that we look at Karthik as a T20 batsman and his 50-over future is over as far as we are concerned,” said Manjrekar.
Manjrekar also said that not playing a big knock like Ambati Rayudu’s 90-run knock against New Zealand cost Karthik dear.
“He has done well in the opportunities he has got, but he has been around for a long time and the selectors are thinking just like me – World Cup, big stage, big match, 50-overs cricket, Dinesh Karthik. Ambati Rayudu by playing that innings in New Zealand when he put India on the track of recovery and got the team to get a big score. Dinesh Karthik hasn’t played that kind of an innings. He has mostly played the role of a finisher. So this is where the numbers are disregarded by the selectors, the captain, the management and they are thinking temperamentally so far what we have seen of Karthik, is he someone who will excite us a 50-overs cricket at World Cup and they have said no and I don’t grudge them for that,” Manjrekar explained.
The series against Australia will start on March 2. Before that the two teams will lock horns in a two-match T20I series.
Not many would have expected the selectors to announce big changes for the upcoming ODI series against Australia. The forthcoming series against the reigning world champions will be India’s last assignment before they fly out to England and Wales for the much-awaited ICC World Cup. Not surprisingly, it was speculated that the MSK Prasad-led panel would refrain from making any big calls and would allow the players to get some more game time.
However, the current selection panel once again sprung a huge surprise by dropping Dinesh Karthik from the ODI squad. In his place, the highly-rated Rishabh Pant has been recalled to the 50-overs side. But while Pant’s inclusion was very much on the cards, not many were expecting Karthik to get the boot and the reasons are obvious. For the last one year or so, Karthik has been groomed as the finisher of the team.
“Prior to this [Australia series], we had two series – in New Zealand and Australia where Karthik was chosen. Since Rishabh played four Test matches, so we wanted him to get a good break. Then he played against England Lions where he did extremely well. Then we sent him to play 3 T20Is. So, we want to give him a few ODIs to play before taking the final call,” said Prasad.
Karthik now will be looking to impress in the upcoming Indian Premier League and solidify his chances.
