Former cricketer Dinesh Karthik is optimistic about the current wicketkeeping line-up and feels that the abundance of players to choose from is a sign of a “healthy” Indian cricket team. India boasts of young and experienced wicketkeepers like Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Julel and the currently out-of-form Ishan Kishan among their talented pool of players. Tough and healthy competition allows India to experiment with combinations and develop players. Karthik sees the strong foundation as a sign of health for Indian cricket.
“There is always good competition and that is good for Indian cricket. We have a strong base with a lot of players to work with and that is a good sign of a healthy cricket team,” Kartik, who leads Southern Superstars in Legends League Cricket (LLC), told ANI.
Both Jurrell and Pant are part of the Indian squad for the ongoing Test series against Bangladesh. With Pant making his first return to the Indian Test team since his life-threatening accident in December 2022, Jurrell has been working hard to earn a place in the playing squad.
Pant marked his return with a sensational performance in the opening Test in Chennai, where he scored a staggering 109 runs in the second innings.
Meanwhile, Kishan and Samson scored a century each in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy and have signalled their desire to return to the Indian team.
Kartik has written the final chapter of his illustrious career in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and has now embarked on a new phase in his career. The 39-year-old, who has been a part of the cash-rich league since its inception, played his final season as a player earlier this year.
Operated as one of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s most experienced players, Karthik has scored 326 runs in 15 matches in the 2024 season at a batting average of 187.36.
Following the tournament, Kartik was appointed as the franchise’s new batting coach and team mentor, and he is set to become the first Indian player to play in the SA20 league after Pearl Royals signed him for a third season.
Kartik is enjoying this new phase in his life and said, “It’s a good time. God has been good to me so I am enjoying whatever I am doing now.”
Currently, Kartik is showcasing his brilliant batting style in the ongoing Legend League Cricket (LLC) and is one of the top players to watch in the tournament.
Kartik was excited about the competitive nature of the league, saying, “It’s great. It’s good to see the players playing competitively, which is always great. There’s a very competitive atmosphere and it’s great to see.”
The 39-year-old has played 180 matches across three formats and scored 3,463 runs with 100 Test hundreds and 17 half-centuries.
Kartik also scored 172 not outs, most of which were behind the stumps and a few in the outfield.Kartik finished his IPL career with 4,842 runs (second most with Rohit Sharma) from 257 matches and 22 fifties.
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