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54 Contenders for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad — Do Rohit Sharma & Virat Kohli Deserve a Spot?

In IPL 2022, at least 54 players are auditioning at the moment for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad to board the flight to Australia in October.

Exactly six months to go for the World Cup. Halfway through IPL 2022.

With Dinesh Karthik asking questions and knocking the door down, Deepak Chahar’s injury cloud, and Virat Kohli- Rohit Sharma-Ishan Kishan-Venkatesh Iyer having off years, all permutations and combinations are open.

The depth of Indian cricket team is at its all-time peak, but the selectors have their task cut out for them. However, India’s abundant depth is both a blessing and a curse.

So how is this going to work? Today, YOU ARE THE SELECTOR. I am going to break up each role (opener, finisher, fast bowler, etc.) one by one and the contenders for that spot. At the end of each section, you can VOTE on your choice for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad.

Contents

Why Have India Not Won an ICC Trophy in the Last Decade?

Last time, India won a major ICC Trophy was the 2013 Champions Trophy. And 2007 for their only T20 World Cup Trophy.

Since then, India have lost 2012, 2016 (semi-finals), and 2021 T20 World Cups, 2017 Champions Trophy (finals), 2015 & 2019 ODI Cricket World Cups (semi-finals). Hindsight is 2020, but what were some of the reasons?

  1. Constant chopping and changing in the squads & lack of clarity on player roles (“The #4 Question”)
  2. Selecting/Mixing players for T20Is based on ODI form and vice-versa
  3. Balance of the XI: Lack of batting allrounders in the Top 6 (too many wicketkeepers)
  4. Vulnerability against left-arm seamers/swing bowlers in the first few overs (ex: Mohammad Amir, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Trent Boult/Matt Henry)
  5. Wicket-taking options in the middle overs (switch from Jadeja-Ashwin to Kuldeep-Chahal and back)
  6. Freak injuries (Shikhar Dhawan, Vijay Shankar in the 2019 CWC)
  7. Predominantly right-handed batters (post-Raina/Yuvi/Gambhir era)

How To Build a T20 World Cup Winning Squad

Now that we have established where things can go wrong, let us discuss how to form our XI & squad of 15.

Rather than picking the best 15 players in India, we pick out the best players for each role depending on which position they play for their IPL and domestic teams. The idea is that we should not make an opener a makeshift #5 again.

T20s are now moving to a place where a fluid batting line up is preferred. Instead of being assigned a fixed batting spot (#3,4,5, etc.), each batter has a relative batting spot (top order, accumulator, finisher) and an ‘optimal entry’ based on the overs & match situation (Ex: Send Russell after the 10th over, DK after the 16th over, etc.)

Similarly, Powerplay swing bowlers & specialist death bowlers have separate assigned roles. (Ex: David Willey’s role is bowl a couple of economical overs up front, take a wicket/set tone, and not finish his spell).

Ideal T20 XI

So, an ideal T20 XI needs the following ingredients:

  • The Top Order (2 aggressive & 1 accumulator who can soak pressure, but also has change of gears)
  • The Engine Room (3 Finishers – 1 Power hitter, 1 360-Player, 1 Calm-Head/Insurance Policy)
  • 2-3 All-Rounders in the Top 7
  • Wrist Spinner
  • Wicket-taker in the Powerplay (Swing bowler)
  • Death-Overs Specialist
  • 145 kph+ Pace Bowler
  • Mystery Spin optional

Who Was in India’s Latest T20I Squad?

As a quick reminder, here are the list of players and key performers from the recent T20I series against New Zealand, West Indies, and Sri Lanka.

Since the 2021 T20 World Cup, India have won all of their 9 T20I matches. In these 9 matches, India have had 8 different player of the matches and/or player of the series.

Such a wealth of talent.

Team Indiavs New Zealandvs West Indiesvs Sri Lanka
Series Result3-03-03-0
Highest Run Scorers for IndiaRohit Sharma
(159, 2 – 50s, 53.00 AVE, 154.36 SR)
Suryakumar Yadav
(107, 1 – 50, 53.50 AVE, 194.54 SR)
Shreyas Iyer
204, 3 – 50s, unbeaten*, 174.35 SR)
Highest Wicket-Takers for IndiaHarshal Patel (4, 7.28 ECON)
Axar Patel (4, 6.00 ECON)
Harshal Patel (5, best of 3/22, 8.75 ECON)Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3, best of 2/9, 7.50 ECON)
Player of the Series
(Player of Matches)
Rohit Sharma
(Suryakumar Yadav 62 (40),
Harshal Patel 2/25,
Axar Patel 3/9)
Suryakumar Yadav
(Ravi Bishnoi 2/17,
Rishabh Pant 52* (28),
Suryakumar Yadav
65 (31))
Shreyas Iyer
(Ishan Kishan 89 (56),
Shreyas Iyer 74* (44),
Shreyas Iyer 73* (45))
Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad – Recent T20I Performers

Here is the list of the 25 players who were selected in these squads:

  • Batters: Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson (WK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul* (WK)
  • All Rounders: Ravindra Jadeja, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Axar Patel*, Washington Sundar*
  • Fast Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Avesh Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar
  • Spinners: Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Ravichandran Ashwin

*withdrawn

Also before you check out the candidates for the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad, check out BCD’s other social media pages and consider subscribing to our newsletter. It would really help support this website.

Select Your Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad

Next to each player, overall T20I & T20 stats will be displayed along with performance in the IPL after the covid break (IPL 2020, IPL 2021, and IPL 2022 up to the halfway mark)

Each player will also have a symbol:

🟩 Almost certainly plays the first match in the T20 World Cup

🟨 In the Probable 30, but selection in the 15 depends on the IPL and T20 bilaterals preceding the WC

🟪Wildcard Entry: Not in the current scheme of things but might come into conversation as a backup player.

🟧 Future Indian players who can occupy these roles (Lots of youngsters have come to the party in IPL 2022. I doubt they will make the Indian 2022 T20 World Cup Squad, but you never know)

Who are the Best T20 Openers for India Right Now? (Pick 3)

Who are the Best T20 Openers for India Right Now

India have 9 openers vying for 3 spots for the 2022 Indian T20 World Cup Squad. Namely, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Prithvi Shaw, Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, and Devdutt Padikkal.
Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul are front runners for the T20 World Cup opening squad (if Rahul recovers from injuries), but Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli are other wildcard options.

1. Rohit Sharma 🟩

Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Captain

  • T20Is: 125, Runs: 3313, 100/50: 4/26, Best: 118, AVE+SR: 172.03, AVE: 32.48, SR: 139.55
  • T20s: 376, Runs: 10009, 100/50: 6/69, Best: 118, AVE+SR: 165.37, AVE: 31.67, SR: 133.70
  • Last Played T20Is for India: February 27, 2022
  • IPL (since 2020): 31 matches, Runs: 827, 100/50: 0/4, Best: 80, AVE+SR: 154.49, AVE: 26.67, SR: 127.82

Pros ✅: Experience

Cons ❌: Lack of Form

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

An average of 16.28 and no fifties in 6 innings is not the best of Rohit, but remember, he was the player of the T20I series not too long ago. As long he is captain, he boards the flight to Australia as an opener.

2. KL Rahul 🟩

Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Wicketkeeper

  • T20Is: 56, Runs: 1831, 100/50: 2/16, Best: 110*, AVE+SR: 183.17, AVE: 40.68, SR: 142.49
  • T20s: 179, Runs: 6007, 100/50: 5/50 Best: 132*, AVE+SR: 181.64, AVE: 43.52, SR: 138.12
  • Last Played T20Is for India: November 19, 2021
  • IPL (since 2020): 34, Runs: 1561, 100/50: 2/12, Best: 132*, AVE+SR: 190.78, AVE: 55.75, SR: 135.03

Pros ✅: Best Current Batter in India, Versatile

Cons ❌: SR inversely proportional to team composition/match situation

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

Although he has century & a fifty already (265 runs), it still seems that he has more to offer to reach the heights of the last couple of a seasons. A must have in the T20 World Cup XI.

3. Ishan Kishan 🟨

Current Status: Incumbent, Other Roles: Wicketkeeper

  • T20Is: 10, Runs: 289, 100/50: 0/2, Best: 89, AVE+SR: 153.53, AVE: 32.11, SR: 121.42
  • T20s: 121, Runs: 3093, 100/50: 2/18, Best: 113*, AVE+SR: 160.34 , AVE: 29.17, SR: 131.17
  • Last Played T20Is for India: February 26, 2022
  • IPL (since 2020): 30, Runs: 697, 100/50: 0/8, Best: 99, AVE+SR: 177.22, AVE: 41.21, SR: 136.01

Pros ✅: Aggressive Opening Option, Left-Handed

Cons ❌: Lack of Form

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

Ever since he was retained by Mumbai Indians for the mammoth price, Kishan has looked a show of himself. He has a couple of 50s and a top score of 81* but at a SR of 116.46, the Rohit-Ishan partnership is just not working for MI at the moment.

4. Shikhar Dhawan 🟨

Current Status: Out of Squad

  • T20Is: 68, Runs: 1759, 100/50: 0/11, Best: 92, AVE+SR: 154.28 , AVE: 27.92, SR: 126.36
  • T20s: 309, Runs: 8980, 100/50: 2/64, Best: 106*, AVE+SR: 157.40, AVE: 32.53, SR: 124.87
  • Last Played T20Is for India: July 29, 2021 (captain)
  • IPL (since 2020): 40, Runs: 1419, 100/50: 2/8, Best: 106*, AVE+SR: 173.39, AVE: 39.41, SR: 132.98

Pros ✅: Left-handed; Big match/ICC tournament player; Top form in IPL 2020/2021

Cons ❌: Poor form in IPL 2022; Out of Favor with selectors right now; Rohit-Dhawan-Kohli archaic T20 lineup

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

Not as dominating as before (2nd highest in IPL 2020 & 4th highest in 2021). 214 runs at 30.57 average & best of 70, the consistency is just not there this season. Only one 50 in 7 attempts and a SR of 126.62 will go against his name.

5. Prithvi Shaw 🟨

Current Status: Out of Squad

  • T20Is: 1, Runs: 0, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 0, AVE+SR: 0, AVE: 0, SR: 0
  • T20s: 77, Runs: 1962, 100/50: 0/17, Best: 99, AVE+SR: 173.89, AVE: 25.48, SR: 148.41
  • Last Played T20Is for India:
  • IPL (since 2020): 34, Runs: 883, 100/50: 0/8, Best: 82, AVE+SR: 180.31, AVE: 26.75, SR: 153.56

Pros ✅: Aggressive Opening Option; In-Form

Cons ❌: Inconsistency; Golden Duck in only T20I (inexperience)

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

He is in imperious form in IPL 2022! In 5 innings, with 164.93 SR & 36.28 average, 2 fifties, he is giving the start Delhi needs. Is he a dark horse for October?

6. Ruturaj Gaikwad 🟪

Current Status: Reserve

  • T20Is: 3, Runs: 39, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 21, AVE+SR: 121.33 ,AVE: 13.00, SR: 108.33
  • T20s: 69, Runs: 2182, 100/50: 1/17, Best: 101*, AVE+SR: 168.48, AVE: 35.19, SR: 133.29
  • Last Played T20Is for India: February 20,2022
  • IPL (since 2020): 28, Runs: 947, 100/50: 1/8, Best: 101*, AVE+SR: 170.25, AVE: 39.45, SR: 130.80

Pros ✅: Steady when comes good

Cons ❌: Out of Form

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

0,1,1,16,17.73. It is getting better, but the string of single digits was not a good show for 2021’s IPL Orange Cap holder.

7. Mayank Agarwal 🟪

Current Status: Out of Squad

  • T20s: 169, Runs: 4011, 100/50: 2/25, Best: 111, AVE+SR: 160.62, AVE: 26.21, SR: 134.41
  • IPL (since 2020): 29, Runs: 983, 100/50: 1/7, Best: 106, AVE+SR: 181.37, AVE: 35.10, SR: 146.27

Pros ✅: Dependable

Cons ❌: Has Not Debuted in T20Is yet (inexperience)

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

With an average of 19.66 with best of 52, Agarwal is out of runs (and struggling on the captaincy front with PBKS as well). He was in great form in IPL 2020 but has not reached those heights since that mid-season injury.

8. Shubman Gill 🟪

Current Status: Out of Squad

  • T20s: 79, Runs: 2034, 100/50: 0/14, Best: , AVE+SR: 158.66, AVE: 31.78, SR: 126.88
  • IPL (since 2020): 37, Runs: 1118, 100/50: 0/8, Best: 96, AVE+SR:154.31, AVE: 31.05, SR: 123.26

Pros ✅: Majestic; Stability; In-Form

Cons ❌: Strike Rate; Consistency; Has Not Debuted in T20Is yet (inexperience)

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

This might be the breakthrough season Gill was looking for. A vital cog for Gujarat Titans’ dominance. 200 runs already with best of 96. 33.33 Average and SR of 151.51. The two ducks would worry him though.

9. Devdutt Padikkal 🟧

Current Status: Out of Squad

  • T20Is: 2, Runs: 38, 100/50: 0/0, Best: 29, AVE+SR: 119, AVE: 19.00, SR: 100.00
  • T20s: 60, Runs: 1967, 100/50: 2/13, Best: , AVE+SR: 171.13, AVE: 35.76, SR: 135.37
  • Last Played T20Is for India: July 29, 2021
  • IPL (since 2020): 36, Runs: 1076, 100/50: 1/7, Best: 101*, AVE+SR: 156.58, AVE: 30.74, SR: 125.84

Pros ✅: Left-hander

Cons ❌: Out of Form

How Is He Doing in IPL 2022?

473 & 411 runs in the last two seasons, DDP has struggled a bit this time around. Best of 41, only 138 runs in 6 innings, 129.72 SR. Might be last resort, but I do not see Padikkal boarding the flight to Australia at this moment.

Other Future India Prospects: Yashashvi Jaiswal, Anuj Rawat

CONTINUE TO THE NEXT PAGE FOR THE MIDDLE ORDER

Dinesh Karthik and the Art of Self Correction

Hamming Code

Imagine it is the 1940s. You are working at Bell Labs, one of the world’s premier research laboratories, an abode of inventions. Computers are at the beginning of their evolution, and programming still occurs on punched cards.

You work day and night in the week, and guess what? One error in the code and the program stops. Hard work down the drain. On the bright side, the machine detects and warns you that there is an error.

So as a brilliant scientist who has been a part of the Manhattan Project, what do you do? You work nights & weekends and develop an algorithm so that the machine can itself correct the errors, without the need for human intervention.

The year is 1950. You have published this paper and revolutionized computer science & information theory.

Your name is Hamming, Richard Hamming. (For more on Hamming codes, watch this beautiful video).

Table of Contents

  1. Hamming Code
  2. Dinesh Karthik
  3. Dinesh Karthik’s Initialization
    1. Under-19 Days
    2. International Debut
  4. When One Door Closes, Another Opens
  5. Error Correction Part I: Karthik’s Golden Year in Test Cricket
  6. Too Many Bugs To Fix
  7. Error Correction Part II: Dinesh Karthik, Journey To The Center Again
  8. Self-Calibration feat Abhishek Nayar
    1. A Nervous Bundle of Energy
  9. Errors Correction III – Consistency in Domestic Cricket
  10. Accuracy Improvement – Dinesh Karthik, The Finisher
  11. Nidahas Trophy & the Internet Superstar
    1. The Night of the Final
  12. The Comeback Ends & The 2019 Cricket World Cup
  13. Is There Another Comeback On The Horizon?
  14. Commentary Stint and The T-Shirt Collection
  15. Karthik’s Legacy: Did he underachieve or overachieve?
  16. The Road Less Traveled By
  17. What Can We Learn From Dinesh Karthik?
  18. The Stats
    1. IPL & Dinesh Karthik’s Career In a Nutshell
  19. Cricket Heroes

Dinesh Karthik

Now fast forward to the 2004. You are playing for the Indian national cricket team, one of the world’s premier cricketing nations, an abode of talent. Wicketkeeper batters are at the beginning of their evolution, and finishing limited over games is still at its infancy.

You work day and night on tours, and guess what? One poor series, and the selectors drop you. Hard work down the drain. On the bright side, selectors warn you that you have to play a different role in order to come back.

So as a budding young cricketer who has been a part of the 2004 U-19 World Cup, what do you do? You practice day in and day out, improve your technical faults, and comeback as a successful opener in swinging conditions to help India win a series in England in 2007.

A few months go by. Inconsistency creeps in. Dropped.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

The year is 2021. You have claimed your fame to glory in that Nidahas Trophy final and revolutionized the role of a finisher.

Your name is Karthik, Dinesh Karthik.

Dinesh Karthik’s story is not in the career averages or amount of runs scored. Neither is it in number of comebacks. It is in the way the comebacks were constructed. Over the years, inconsistency has decreased, reassurance has increased, and in his own words, he has managed to stay ‘relevant.’

In simple terms, he has perfected the art of self-correction.

Dinesh Karthik’s Initialization

Algorithms have improved vastly since the Hamming code days. Yet, there are three main components of a self-correcting algorithm: Initialization, self-calibration, and error correction.

Under-19 Days

On the back of good domestic form, Dinesh Karthik was selected for the 2004 U-19 World Cup. This team included future Indian nationals in Robin Uthappa, Suresh Raina, Shikhar Dhawan, Ambati Rayudu, and RP Singh. Following a decent domestic and India A season, he found himself in the national reckoning alongside Parthiv Patel as India were trying to find a permanent replacement to makeshift keeper in Rahul Dravid.

International Debut

On September 4, 2004, he made an immediate impact as a keeper in his ODI debut, inflicting a fabulous diving stumping to Michael Vaughan, being part of the famous Mohammad Kaif run-out, and taking a catch.

He would not bat in an ODI for another two years, but was picked for Tests against Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Zimbabwe. After having a top score of only 46 in his first six Tests, he finally made a mark scoring 93 in the second innings against Pakistan. However, a loss of form and Dhoni’s memorable 148 at #3 in that Pakistan ODI series meant Karthik was briefly dropped from the Test side and traveled only as a reserve keeper for the next year.

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When One Door Closes, Another Opens

One of the interesting traits of Karthik’s unusual career has been that when he is dropped in Tests, he finds a place in ODIs and vice versa. Later in his career, he was recalled in ODI & Test cricket based on his T20 form.

Case and point is 2006. Karthik enjoyed a good run in the limited overs although he was out of the Test side.

Did you know he was India’s first T20I player of the match winner? Against South Africa, he marshalled the chase with a 31* not take India home in a low scoring chase of 127. Soon after, an ODI player of the performance against West Indies meant that he found a place in both the 2007 ODI and T20I World Cups.

Although he would not get a game in the ODI World Cup, he played as a pure batter in the inaugural T20 World Cup with Dhoni behind the stumps. Low scores followed in the T20 World Cup, but he provided India with a bit of magic in the semi-final—a one handed diving catch to dismiss Graeme Smith.

Nasser Hussain on commentary summed up Dinesh Karthik’s entire career accurately in one sentence

“They say Dinesh Karthik is the two extremes—he drops dollies and he takes some spectacular catches.”

Here are some of his other catches: IPL 2019 running catch, IPL 2020 Ben Stokes flying catch.

Error Correction Part I: Karthik’s Golden Year in Test Cricket

The year 2007 was DK’s best time in Test cricket.

By this time, it was clear that he could not make the XI based on his keeping skills alone. The Fab 4’s presence meant that the middle order was crowded. However, Sehwag & Gambhir had been dropped, which meant there was a slight opening.

Enter Dinesh Karthik 2.0—the opener. With Wasim Jaffer, he formed a brief yet formidable partnership.

In the third Test at Cape Town, the Jaffer-Karthik experiment paid dividend with a 153-opening partnership in the first innings. Karthik scored 63 as an opener and followed it up with 38* at #7.

In the tour of Bangladesh, he was given a permanent opening spot and returned with scores of 56, 22, and 129, his only Test century. Then, came India’s tour of England. Despite not scoring a hundred, scores of 60, 77, & 91 meant that he ended up as India’s highest Test scorer—263 runs, 3 fifties, 518 balls faced to go along Jaffer’s 409 balls, which helped India successfully dent the new ball.

Once again, a commentator did justice to Karthik’s second phase of his career.

“It’s good story Dinesh Karthik. He began life as a dashing middle order batsman and wicketkeeper, and he has been transformed really into an opening batsman of substance.”

India historically won 1-0, India’s first victory on English soil in 21 years (a decade of horror shows the significance of that series victory).

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Too Many Bugs To Fix

Pushed back to the middle order after just 2 more Tests, he could only muster 157 runs in 11 innings with a best of 52 against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and New Zealand. He would get another opportunity in Tests in 2010 before being dropped for another eight years.

On his come back against Afghanistan’s inaugural Test in 2018, he himself said in a press conference that in his earlier stint in Test cricket,

“I guess I wasn’t good enough before… I was not consistent enough.”

When he was out of favor in Tests in 2008, he did receive several opportunities in ODIs, scoring a few middling scores and featuring in India’s 2009 Champions Trophy squad. His best ODI innings of 79 runs came in 2010 with a 196-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar during his historic double century.

14 innings later, with only 1 50+ score & 2 ducks, he was dropped—this time for three years.

Error Correction Part II: Dinesh Karthik, Journey To The Center Again

More competition, more errors, longer time to fix. Enter Dinesh Karthik 3.0—the middle order batter.

It took a 3-year hiatus before Karthik stormed back. In IPL 2013 as the #3 batter for Mumbai Indians, he amassed 510 runs, only behind Rohit Sharma for MI. The innings where his highest score that season of 86 was possibly his best IPL innings (so far).

This performance earned him a ticket on the 2013 Champions Trophy and his best ‘List A’ moment came in the warm-up games, when he scored two back to back centuries, scoring 106* & 146* batting at #6. This tournament is fondly remembered for the beginning of the Shikhar Dhawan-Rohit Sharma opening partnership, which meant Karthik did not get much of a chance with 51* against West Indies his best knock.

A few months later, India failed to qualify for the Asia Cup finals and Karthik’s 21* vs Afghanistan would be his final innings for yet another 3 years.

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Self-Calibration feat Abhishek Nayar

Let us take a slight detour like his career took around 2014.

What is your favorite part about watching Dinesh Karthik? For me, it has always been his unconventional demeanor, starting from his batting routine. The moment he arrives at the crease, it is pure theater. Walking in with urgency, rolling the gloves around, dancing from side to side, taking guard, moving his helmet, meditating on the side. Excitement and apprehension at the same time.

As a keeper he is always chirping and speaking to the bowler, most famously with his partnership in KKR with Varun Chakravarthy or with R Ashwin in Team India.

But surely, so much energy must definitely be a burden. A volcano ready to erupt if the energy is not channeled properly.

A Nervous Bundle of Energy

In order to come back to the Indian national side, DK needed to recalibrate.

In a Breakfast With Champions interview with Gaurav Kapur, he described the time with Abhishek Nayar as a ‘mental bootcamp.’ 40-lap swimming, 45-minute uphill runs, sweeping the house, visualizing match scenarios, and extreme fitness training pushed DK out of his comfort zone. He reflected that

“When you push yourself out of your comfort zone when nobody is watching you and there is no glory attached to it and you just do it quietly because somewhere in life you want to achieve something, overall in time it does help you.”

This experience added an extra dimension to DK’s wide array of skills. He was always a good player of spin, but once he was in a good head space post-Nayar, he literally reinvented his batting—the sweeps, laps, reverse sweeps, and swivel across the crease came with increased frequency.

Errors Correction III – Consistency in Domestic Cricket

While his 2013 comeback was largely on the backs of the IPL, the 2017 comeback was due to the weight of runs in domestic trophy. He was among the runs in Ranji Trophy and has been consistent in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for the past five years.

At the peak of his batting powers, DK was hitting the ball as nicely as anybody at that time. Sanjay Manjrekar stated that at that time, Dinesh Karthik and Hardik Pandya were the only two Indian batters who could time the ball from ball one.

By this time, the pattern was set. Another Champions Trophy, yet another come back. Although he did not make the XI, in the next few matches after the trophy he scored 50*, 48, 37, 64* in consecutive games across ODIs & T20Is. It was a signal that he had added consistency to his arsenal.

Accuracy Improvement – Dinesh Karthik, The Finisher

After grinding it out in domestic cricket and becoming a much more calm and mature individual, it was time for Dinesh Karthik 4.0 to enter—Dinesh Karthik, the finisher.

From after the 2017 Champions to before the 2019 Cricket World Cup, DK slowly grew into the finisher role, remaining not-out 20 times out of the 35 ODIs or T20Is he played in.

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Nidahas Trophy & the Internet Superstar

After 14 years of sharpening his skills, beast mode was finally unlocked in the Nidahas Trophy in Sri Lanka.

Short & sweet contributions in every game: 13* (6), 2* (2), 39* (25), 2* (2), and 29* (8). He could not be dismissed throughout the series.

The final was a night to remember. With Mustafizur’s wicket maiden in the 18th and a struggling Vijay Shankar at the other end, hope was all but lost.

The Night of the Final

Then comes in Dinesh Karthik. Rubel Hossain steams in and attempts a yorker. DK sits back and hits it over a long on for six. There is still life left in the game. Then came a heave for four and another one for six! Colombo crowd is going wild.

Couple of balls later, Karthik moves around crease and scoops it over fine leg—22 run over.

Final over, DK off strike, India need 12.

Wide, dot, 1,1, 4 (Shankar), Out. Five runs, one ball, one man. Over pitched delivery outside the off stump, DK times it with a full follow through. FLAT SIX. INDIA WIN! Captain Rohit Sharma said that DK was a bit upset being moved to #7, but he managed to channel the anger into good effect.

Given that India have not won a major ICC trophy since 2013, this memorable win stands at a high place for Indian fans. With 120 million and 211 million views for the 19th and 20th over respectively, this is easily the most watched cricket video (and possibly any sports video). Relive those moments below.

The Comeback Ends & The 2019 Cricket World Cup

He continued his Nidahas Trophy form in IPL 2018 with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, scoring 498 runs at 49.80 with a strike rate of 147.77.

However selection across formats would come back to haunt him. He would make another comeback in Test cricket, but scores of 4, 0, 20, 1, 0 would be the end of his Test career. He would be in and out of the limited overs side, sometimes batting at #4 in Asia Cup ODIS, and sometimes almost finishing T20Is in New Zealand.

A score of 97* in IPL 2019 followed as he narrowly made the cut in the World Cup squad.

The Russian Roulette selection among Dinesh Karthik, Kedhar Jadhav, Manish Pandey, Rishabh Pant, Vijay Shankar, and most infamously, Ambati Rayudu probably hurt all five and India in the 2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final. Surprisingly promoted to No. 5, he tried to stem the fall of wickets before Jimmy Neesham’s brilliant catch ended his ODI career.

Is There Another Comeback On The Horizon?

He was one of the casualties of India’s post-tournament analysis, even dropped from the T20I side, where he had reasonable success.

Post-COVID, he had a tough time at the 2020 IPL, averaging only 14.08, his second worst season. Although he took KKR to a playoff spot in 2018, he would relieve captaincy duties to Eoin Morgan for the remainder of 2020 and 2021.

Since then, he has been vocal about fighting for a place in one of the T20 World Cups in the next two years purely as a finisher. Still the best finisher in India alongside Ravindra Jadeja & Hardik Pandya, the real question is, will we see DK 5.0?

Commentary Stint and The T-Shirt Collection

Even though we do not know his cricketing career will pan out, there is already a brief glimpse into the future.

He has become a social media celebrity with his Sky Sports stint providing apt analysis, providing daily weather updates, and most famously, showing the world his enviable T-shirt collection.

Here are his interviews with Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah.

Karthik’s Legacy: Did he underachieve or overachieve?

Representing your nation in one international tournament is is an honor. In a topsy-turvy career, Karthik has somehow managed to be a part of the 2007 ODI World Cup, 2007 T20 World Cup, 2009 Champions Trophy, 2013 Champions Trophy, 2017 Champions Trophy, and the 2019 ODI World Cup. Sprinkle a couple of Asia Cups in there as well.

There are two school of thoughts on Dinesh Karthik’s career. Did he fulfill his potential? Maybe. Maybe not.

From a glass half empty perspective, one can observe that as a gifted batter and a giant in domestic cricket, he could not make most of his opportunities and cement a place in the Indian national team. On the other hand, he never got an extended run in one format at a time, constantly playing in different roles and formats. Hence, the fact that we are still talking about him after 17 years is still an achievement.

DK’s career consisted of memorable high peaks in a relatively plateau of a career. Opening in England, twin List A tons in Champions Trophy warm ups, winning an IPL Trophy with Mumbai Indians and T20I World Cup in 2007, stumpings and catches galore, and giving fans the Nidahas Trophy Final to cherish, he has made his mark.

In a press conference, Karthik himself says

“Even if I don’t get the opportunity to play sport at the highest level, I want to be content with the fact that I have given it everything I have had. Not only on the field, but off the field.”

The Road Less Traveled By

Robert Frost wrote in his famous poem The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

When India needed a wicketkeeper, Dinesh Karthik was a wicketkeeper. India needed an overseas opener, in came DK, the opener. When they needed a #4, he became a #4. Finally, when all the spots were filled, he became a specialist finisher.

Although he was an anomaly in the previous era, current Indian wicketkeepers might keep an eye on his career very carefully. It is likely that not all of KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, KS Bharat will get a constant run. So they should be prepared to be dropped and come back stronger, maybe with a different role.

Dinesh Karthik’s career might not have gone according to the original plan but his journey has been interesting nevertheless. He modified his approach, adapted to the circumstances, and always strived to improve his individual game.

What Can We Learn From Dinesh Karthik?

Numerous players were dropped at an early age and could never find a way to come back. Others could manage to comeback only briefly because they were pigeonholed to a single role. Karthik frequently took the road less traveled by, refined his old skills, while learning new ones at the go.

When he arrived in the international arena, he was a good player who had the potential to excel in three formats and don several roles. After years of repetitive self correction and recalibration, he has now developed his own unique niche—overs 16 to 20 as a T20 finisher, a position where he is the best. Power-hitters like Pollard, Russell, and Pandya might be better finishers in general but not many have the match awareness and can play the field as Karthik does in those end overs.

So what can we learn from Dinesh Karthik? Always be self-aware, prepare for the worst, focus on the process, wear nice shirts, be yourself, adapt to the surroundings, be ready for the opportunity, and provide energy to others around you.

I would love to finish this article with a bang, but what can I say—The finisher is not yet finished.

The Stats

Test: 26 matches, 1025 runs, 25.00 average, best of 129, 100s/50s – 1/7, 57 catches, 6 stumpings

ODI: 94 matches, 1752 runs, 30.20 average, best of 79, 50s-9, 64 catches, 7 stumpings

T20I: 32 matches, 399 runs, 33.25 average, 143.52 SR, best of 48, 14 catches, 5 stumpings

T20: 321 matches, 6221 runs, 27.40 average, 133.55 SR, best of 97*, 193 catches, 61 stumpings

IPL & Dinesh Karthik’s Career In a Nutshell

  • 2004: ODI, Test debuts
  • 2004-05: Tests only
  • 2006: T20I debut, ODIs only
  • 2007: ODI World Cup, Test opener, T20I World Cup (winner), Syed Mushtaq Ali winners (captain)
  • 2008: 1 T20I, 3 Tests only, Delhi Daredevils
  • 2009-2010: Mostly ODIs, some T20Is, 1 Test, Delhi Daredevils
  • 2011: Kings XI Punjab
  • 2012: Mumbai Indians
  • 2013: ODIs only, Champions Trophy winner, Mumbai Indians (winners)
  • 2014: ODIs only, Delhi Daredevils
  • 2015: Royal Challengers Bangalore
  • 2016: Gujarat Lions
  • 2017: Champions Trophy, ODIs, Gujarat Lions
  • 2018: T20Is, Nidahas Trophy, Test recall, ODI #4 battle, Kolkata Knight Riders (captain)
  • 2019: T20Is, ODIs, ODI World Cup, dropped, Kolkata Knight Riders (captain)
  • 2020: Kolkata Knight Riders (captain, 7 matches)
  • 2021: Syed Mushtaq Ali winners (captain), Kolkata Knight Riders

Although he has had good time with his IPL franchises, his wish is to end his career with CSK. With an interview with Harsha Bhogle, he said

“The lead up to the [2008 auctions], Dinesh Karthik the person was convinced the best player from Tamil Nadu, the biggest name from Tamil Nadu playing for the country…definitely CSK were going to pick me. The question was whether they were going to make me captain or not….It was the biggest dagger to my heart. It’s been 13 years and I am still waiting for that elusive call from CSK”

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KKR Vs DC – IPL 2021 Match 25 Review: Prithvi Shows KKR How To Play

KKR Vs DC– IPL 2021 Match #25 Quick Review! Prithvi Shaw’s assault sets KKR aside. Russell was the only positive, but harsh words from Brendon McCullum at the end.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: KKR Vs DC Video Highlights

Toss: DC won the toss and chose to field first.

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Umpires: Anil Chaudhary & Yeshwant Barde

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Delhi Capitals won by 7 wickets.
  • Scores: KKR 154-6 Vs DC 156-3
  • Player of the Match: Prithvi Shaw
  • Best Figures
    • Lalit Yadav – 2/13 (3 overs)
    • Pat Cummins – 3/24
  • Most Runs
    • Andre Russell – 45* (27)
    • Prithvi Shaw – 82 (41)

Moments of The Day: SHAW, SHAW, SHAW. SHAW. SHAW. SHAW.

Here are my moments of today:

  • Wide, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4. Straight. Lofted. Inside-out. Over-midwicket. Backward Point. Cover. Prithvi Shaw’s consecutive fours were the highlight of the match. Unfortunate Shivam Mavi was on the receiving end, who followed his 1/13 4-over-spell against Punjab Kings with 1-0-25-0 against DC.
  • When Shubman Gill exited, KKR were reeling at 82-5 in 13 overs. Dinesh Karthik hit a couple of boundaries, but it was birthday boy Andre Russell’s 45* with 4 sixes that propelled KKR to a respectable total. This is his third cameo in 7 games, apart from his 5-fer. Already has had a better IPL than last year.
  • Pat Cummins took all the wickets of DC’s innings, but it was too little, too late. Shikhar Dhawan fell on 132 in the 14th over, by which time the game was gone. Questions on Eoin Morgan’s captaincy—why was Pat Cummins the 5th bowler? After Mavi, Varun, Prasidh Krishna, and Narine had bowled?

Honorable Mention: Axar Patel wickets & Lalit Yadav’s frugal spells; Shikhar Dhawan’s 46, Rishabh Pant’s finish

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Brendon McCullum’s Press Conference

Brendon McCullum had some harsh words for his squad after the match. He had high praise for Prithvi Shaw & Andre Russell and gave some signals for future KKR games. “If you can’t change a man, change the man.”

  • While Shaw’s form has hit the roof since the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Shubman Gill’s form has nosedived. After his 91 in Australia, Gill’s scores read: (England Tests) 0 & 14, 11 & 15*, 0, (IPL) 15, 33, 21, 0, 11, 9, 43 (38). When he has scored, it is not quite fast enough. With Nitish Rana & Rahul Tripathi struggling for consistency, KKR just do not have the firepower at the top. Tim Seifert needs to inject the aggression at the top.
  • Sunil Narine has had a wonderful IPL career with KKR and has bowled decently this year, but his batting is just not good enough. Eoin Morgan is not doing that well either (duck today).

  • Time for SRH-inspired captaincy (SRH dumped Warner) and replace Narine/Morgan with Seifert & Lockie Ferguson. Last season, Karthik relinquished captaincy to Eoin Morgan after 7 games, and KKR has had a history of captaincy issues….so once more the charm.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • KL Rahul 331 runs (PBKS, 7 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 17 wickets (RCB, 7 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings752010+1.263
2. Delhi Capitals752010+0.466
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore 752010 -0.171
4. Mumbai Indians74308+ 0.062
5. Punjab Kings73406-0.264
6. Kolkata Knight Riders72504-0.494
7. Rajasthan Royals62404-0.69
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad61502-0.264
IPL 2021 Points Table

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Dinesh Karthik

Image Courtesy: Eoin Morgan – by David via CC 2.0

KKR Vs PBKS – IPL 2021 Match 21 Review: Bowlers, Captain Morgan Inspire Big KKR Win

KKR Vs PBKS – IPL 2021 Match #21 Quick Review! Mavi-Krishna, Sunil Narine, Rahul Tripathi, and captain Morgan the positives. A brilliant catch by Ravi Bishnoi, but not much else for PBKS.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: KKR Vs PBKS Video Highlights

Toss: RR won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad

Umpires: Paul Reiffel & Yeshwant Borde

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Kolkata Knight Riders won by 5 wickets.
  • Scores: PBKS 123-9 KKR 126-5
  • Player of the Match: Eoin Morgan
  • Best Figures
    • Prasidh Krishna – 3/30
    • Moises Henriques – 1/5 (1 over), Mohammad Shami – 1/25 (4 overs)
  • Most Runs
    • Mayank Agarwal – 31 (34)
    • Eoin Morgan – 47 (40)

Moments of The Day: Kolkata’s Pacers Vs Intent-less Punjab

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Shivam Mavi & Prasidh Krishna have been earmarked of representing India. Krishna had a brilliant debut series already. Today, Shivam Mavi’s spell of 4-0-13-1 set the tone for a disciplined KKR bowling performance. Prasidh Krishna was a touch expensive but three wickets nevertheless. If they keep on contributing, Lockie Ferguson on the bench does not look as bad anymore.
  • Sunil Narine’s stocks have been decline over the past couple of seasons. Ever since his action was remodeled, his bowling has been less threatening. Similarly, since oppositions figured Narine’s short-ball weakness and with the departure of Chris Lynn, his X-factor is gone missing. Today, his spell of 4-0-22-2 took the game in KKR’s direction and the bowled to Moises Henriques was the ball of the match.
  • In a low scoring match, Punjab sent Kolkata’s openers back. In came Narine, pulled Arshdeep Singh’s delivery only for Ravi Bishnoi to run in and take a superb diving catch. Catch of the tournament so far.
  • Captain Eoin Morgan finally comes to the party – After Bishnoi’s catch, KKR felt the jitters with 17/3. With 45 runs (4 single digit scores including a duck) in the previous five matches, Morgan’s calm and counterattacking 47*(40) sealed the game. Biggest positive of the game for KKR. Wonderful support by Tripathi as well – wholehearted cricketer. If Shubman Gill or Nitish Rana can get in form, KKR has all the ingredients to be a dangerous side.

Honorable Mention: Rahul Tripathi’s diving catch, Varun Chakravarthy’s 4-0-24-1, Morgan’s 3 catches, Russell’s run out, Chris Gayle’s direct hit.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Dawid Malan

  • Punjab Kings have iterated through Jhye Richardson, Riley Meredith, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, Moises Henriques, Fabian Allen, and Chris Jordan. None of them (barring Meredith in the BBL) were in-form players coming into the IPL. Except for Dawid Malan. #1 internationally ranked batsman in this format, his exclusion has been surprising. On the flip side, Pooran has scored 28 runs in 5 innings including 3 ducks, with 19 as his best today. Chris Jordan scored 17 ball (30) today, more than Pooran in his 6 games.
  • 106, 120, & now 123 (courtesy Chris Jordan). They have also scored 221 & 195, but inconsistency & slow starts from KL Rahul-Mayank Agarwal is not helping. Need to reflect a bit.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 259 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Chennai Super Kings54108+ 1.612
2. Delhi Capitals54108+ 0.034
2. Royal Challengers Bangalore54108+ 0.096
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Kolkata Knight Riders62404-0.305
6. Punjab Kings 62404-0.608
7. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
8. Sunrisers Hyderabad51402-0.18
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the another double header! The Delhi Capitals take on Royal Challengers Bangalore.

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Dinesh Karthik

RR Vs KKR IPL 2021 Match 18 Review: KKR Abysmal As Sanju Samson, RR Pacers Shine

RR Vs KKR– IPL 2021 Match #18 Quick Review! Despite being hit by injuries & returns (Jofra Archer, Liam Livingstone, Ben Stokes), RR came together as a side.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: RR Vs KKR Video Highlights

Toss: RR won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Umpires: Navdeep Singh & Sundaram Ravi

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Rajasthan Royals won by 6 wickets.
  • Scores: KKR 133/9 – RR 134/4
  • Player of the Match: Chris Morris
  • Best Figures
    • Chris Morris – 4/23
    • Varun Chakravarthy – 2/32
  • Most Runs
    • Rahul Tripathi – 36 (26)
    • Sanju Samson – 42* (41)

Moments of The Day: Disciplined Rajasthan Royals Make KKR Toil

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Although Morris starred with wickets of finishers Russell, DK, & Cummins, the platform was set by Jaydev Unadkat (4-0-25-1), Sakariya (4-0-31-0), and Mustafizur Rahman (4-0-22-1). With the ball gripping, the accurate left-arm off cutters troubled KKR’s batsmen. Add to that, direct hit by Jos Buttler, Morris inflicting Morgan’s run-out, and brilliant catches by Jaiswal, Sakariya, and Parag. The combined effort restricted KKR to 133 at the Wankhede.
  • Yashasvi Jaiswal replaced Manan Vohra and impressed right away. After a dropped catch, came back with a brilliant diving catch and a sparkling 22 with 5 fours. He should definitely get a long run this time around.

Honorable Mention: Riyan Parag’s catch & Parag-Tewatia selfie celebration, Tripathi’s counterattack

World T20 World Cup Spotlight: Samson, Dube, and Team England

  • Sanju Samson is often criticized for throwing away his wicket after a couple of nice drives. A particular observation in the IPL has been a couple of glorious hundreds followed by single digits throughout the tournament. With the 23-men squad for the T20 World Cup and Rishabh Pant & KL Rahul almost locked in, the reserve wicketkeeper-batsmen spot seems to be a direct shootout between Ishan Kishan (glorious debut) & Sanju Samson. Kishan has been struggling at MI and hence, Samson batting through the innings and taking RR home will give him an edge.
  • With Hardik Pandya struggling at MI & Vijay Shankar not doing too well either, Shivam Dube’s composed 46 in the last game and a supportive 22 should bring him back to the conversation for the medium pace-all round option.
  • England are the reigning ODI champions and favorites with India in the upcoming World Cup. With Ben Stokes & Jofra Archer injured, Liam Livingstone going home due to bio-bubble fatigue, Alex Hales not in the reckoning, and Jos Buttler & Eoin Morgan struggling for runs, Chris Jordan & Tom Curran struggling at the death, are England really prepared for the challenge? You are not going to win a World Cup with only a Jonny Bairstow.

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Eoin Morgan

  • Eoin Morgan was unfortunately run out without facing a ball, but he now has scores of 2, 7, 29, 7, and now 0. Questionable captaincy decisions as well. With the likes of Ben Cutting, Tim Seifert, and Lockie Ferguson on the bench, Morgan is not pulling his weight in this side.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore44008+ 1.009
2. Chennai Super Kings43106+1.142
3. Delhi Capitals43106+0.426
4. Mumbai Indians52304-0.032
5. Punjab Kings52304-0.428
6. Rajasthan Royals52304-0.681
7. Sunrisers Hyderabad 41302-0.228
8. Kolkata Knight Riders51402-0.675
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the another double header!

RCB takes on CSK tomorrow & SRH Vs DC. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Dinesh Karthik

CSK Vs KKR IPL 2021 Match 15 Review: Faf’s 95 Outdoes Russell-DK-Cummins Assault

CSK Vs KKR– IPL 2021 Match #15 Quick Review! The most exciting match of IPL 2021 thus far feat Andre Russell & Pat Cummins’ magic. Wickets & sixes galore.

First, congratulations to Dinesh Karthik for his 200th IPL match! Third player to get there after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.

Match Details, Scorecard, & Video Highlights

Scorecard: CSK Vs KKR Video Highlights

Toss: MI won the toss and chose to bat first.

Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

Umpires: Anil Dandekar & Paul Reiffel

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: Chennai Super Kings won by 18 runs.
  • Scores: CSK 220/3KKR 202/3
  • Player of the Match: Faf du Plessis
  • Best Figures
    • Varun Chakravarthy – 1/27
    • Deepak Chahar – 4/29
  • Most Runs
    • Faf Du Plessis – 95 (60)
    • Pat Cummins – 66 (34)

Stars of The Day:

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

  • Faf Du Plessis-Ruturaj Gaikwad set the platform. Looks like Ruturaj Gaikwad gets in and out of form every three games. Last IPL, he was dropped after 3 no-shows and came back with 3 fifties. Credit to CSK for keeping faith with Gaikwad (5, 5, 10 prior to this match) – 64 (42) with some amazing pull shots. Also, Faf is class. That’s all. Knows how to play second fiddle in a 115 (77) run partnership and accelerate accordingly. Faf’s scoop has to be one of my favorite shots.
  • The Deepak Chahar show. Chahar might have become a T20 specialist, but swing his still his forte. Back into form again in IPL 2021. His 4/29 reduced KKR to 5-31 in 5.2 overs. His spell almost finished the game then and there for KKR.
  • Almost being the key phrase. Andre Russell-Dinesh Karthik-Pat Cummins show their worth. KKR’s last two season have been disappointing because their so-called strength, Morgan-Russell-Karthik-Cummins, have never performed together. Partnerships of 81 (39) Russell-DK & 34 (22) DK-Cummins partnership almost brought KKR brought into the game today, but the 30 run-over of Pat Cummins against Sam Curran sent shivers in the CSK dressing room. The hitting from Andre Russell & Pat Cummins. Brute force.

The KKR began to dream. Before it came crashing down in iconic KKR fashion—a silly bowled, nonsensical shot, and two run-outs.

Honorable Mention: Lungi Ngidi’s 4-0-28-3 the turning spell; MS Dhoni turns back the clock with 17 (8) including a six

Broken Cricket Dream of the Day: Discipline in the Field & Russell’s Bowled

  • Wides, No balls, 5 Wides, Dropped catch for six, Nagarkoti’s ill-timed shot, run-outs…the list goes on. Discipline in the field was lacking on both sides. KKR lost around 20-30 runs in the field, which probably cost KKR the game. Sam Curran conceded 51 in his first 3 overs (58 overall), while Thakur conceded 47. Have to be better than that.
  • We now know that 200 is probably par in Mumbai, and 220 is just about safe. KKR should think about bringing in Tim Seifert and Lockie Ferguson for Mumbai. Will give them the edge they are missing thus far.
  • The broken cricket dream of the day goes to Andre Russell’s bowled. He left the ball, and Sam Curran’s bowl smashed the stumps behind his hip. He was so disappointed, he sat on the stairs for quite a while. With no expression. Had he stayed for a couple more overs, KKR might have just reached the target.

IPL 2021 Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap Leaders

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table, Orange Cap, & Purple Cap. We will keep updating it in every article!

  • Shikhar Dhawan 231 runs (DC, 4 matches)
  • Harshal Patel – 12 wickets (RCB, 4 matches)
TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Royal Challengers Bangalore44008+ 1.009
2. Chennai Super Kings43106+1.142
3. Delhi Capitals43106+0.426
4. Mumbai Indians42204+0.187
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad 41302-0.228
6. Kolkata Knight Riders41302-0.7
7. Punjab Kings41302-0.824
8. Rajasthan Royals41302-1.011
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

Tomorrow is the first double header!

MI takes on DC tomorrow. What are your thoughts?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/12/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Home » Dinesh Karthik

SRH Vs KKR IPL Match 3 Review: Nitish Rana 80 Trumps Jonny Bairstow’s Clean Striking

SRH Vs KKR – IPL 2021 Match #3 Quick Review! Kolkata Knight Riders emerge victorious against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Match Details

Scorecard: SRH Vs KKR

Venue: MA Chidambram Stadium, Chepauk, Chennai

Toss: SRH won the toss and chose to bowl first.

Umpires: KN Ananthapadmanabhan & Nitin Menon

What Actually Happened

  • Winner: KKR won by 10 runs
  • Scores: KKR 187/6 Vs SRH 177/5
  • Player of the Match: Nitish Rana
  • Best Figures
    • Rashid Khan 2-24
    • Prasidh Krishna 2-35
  • Most Runs
    • Nitish Rana 80 (56)
    • Manish Pandey 61*(44)

Moments of The Day

The IPL is full of surprises and memorable moments. Here are my moments of today:

Surprises

  • KKR’s Top Order was the surprise of the day. With DK-Morgan-Russell-Shakib-Cummins (even Harbhajan the hitter), the question was if the top order could get going.
    • Rana-Gill 53 (42) & 93 (50) Tripathi-Rana set the platform for KKR
    • Nitish Rana (80) and Tripathi (53) have become cult heroes in the IPL. Always produce a couple of match winning innings each IPL. Can they get consistency this time around?
  • Dinesh Karthik is still India’s best finisher. From 157-2, Kolkata collapsed to 160-5 in 17.4. The much acclaimed Russell & Morgan out for 5 and 2 respectively. Dinesh Karthik moved around the crease to produce a 22* (9), taking KKR to 187. Time for a T20I recall. Oh and ABDUL SAMAD – India’s best power hitter? 19*(8) with 2 sixes.
  • Jonny Bairstow a class apart. 10-2 in 2 overs in a chase of 188? No worries, Bairstow will play his natural game. 55 (40) with 5 fours & 3 sixes. One of the cleanest strikers of the ball. He is my orange cap prediction for IPL 2021.

Honorable Mentions: Afghan duo Rashid-Nabi put the breaks on KKR with figures of 8-0-56-4; Manish Pandey’s steady 61*; Shakib takes wicket against his former team first ball; Prasidh Krishna impresses again

Tweet of the Day

Must watch analysis that went viral on Twitter yesterday.

Broken Cricket Dreams of the Day

  • Harbhajan Singh coming back after 699 days, last playing in May 2019. In a slow Chennai pitch and history of Warner’s poor record against Harbhajan, he was given the first over. First ball – slow, spin, guile – Warner edges it in the air. Dropped by Pat Cummins. Broken Dream. Did not bowl for the rest of the match.
  • Mohammad Nabi gives a scare: Got hit at the back of his neck by Prasidh Krishna in the 16th over. 140 kph & Nab without neck protection guard. Really scary stuff. Came back with a strong 4 and then out. Hope he is okay in the long run.

IPL 2021 Points Table

No need to go elsewhere for the Points Table. We will keep updating it in every article!

TeamsPlayedWonLostTied
No-Result
PointsNet Run Rate
1. Delhi Capitals11002+0.779
2. Kolkata Knight Riders110 02+ 0.5
3. Royal Challengers Bangalore11002+0.05
4. Mumbai Indians10100-0.05
5. Sunrisers Hyderabad10100-0.5
6. Chennai Super Kings10100-0.779
Rajasthan Royals
Punjab Kings
IPL 2021 Points Table

Tomorrow’s Preview

The Rajasthan Royals take on the Punjab Kings in Chennai. Who do you think will win this one?

Also, if you have not yet read our IPL Previews, here is a list of all of them! Check them out and share ahead:

  1. Chennai Super Kings – CSK Preview
  2. Delhi Capitals – DC Preview
  3. Kolkata Knight Riders – KKR Preview
  4. Mumbai Indians – MI Preview
  5. Punjab Kings – PBKS Preview
  6. Rajasthan Royals – RR Preview
  7. Royal Challengers Bangalore – RCB Preview
  8. Sunrisers Hyderabad – SRH Preview

Copyright (2021: 4/11/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

IPL 2021 Kolkata Knight Riders Preview: Can Shakib & Captain Morgan Turn KKR’s Fate?

Time for Kolkata Knight Riders Preview.

If you were a Kolkata Knight Riders supporter last year (like I was), it was a very tough season to follow. A great squad, but did not get going AT ALL.

New IPL edition, different fate for KKR? With Harbhajan Singh and Shakib Al Hasan, the steal of the auction, can KKR spin to the title? Will they make amends this year and not make too many changes?

What do you think? Does KKR have a shot? Here are my thoughts.

Also Read: IPL 2021 Auctions Review, KKR All Time XI

IPL History

2012, 2014 – (Champions), 2017, 2018 – (3rd), 2011, 2016 – (4th)

How Did They Do Last Year?

5th. Two seasons in a row, KKR have lost out on net run-rate. Never convincing last year, managed to pull victory out of jaws of defeat.

  • The much hyped finishing trio of Dinesh Karthik-Eoin Morgan-Andre Russell did not materialize. Brendon McCullum’s infamous notebook & lack of clarity on their position contributed to the underwhelming year. Oh and the DK-Morgan captaincy switch mid-tournament did not help at all.
  • The story of the year was Varun Chakravarthy. An architect whose cricket dreams were broken finally found fame with match winning performances. He was even selected for an international cap, but fitness issues kept him back.

Injury News

Gurkeerat Singh Mann replaces Rinku Singh, who suffered a knee injury. Captain Eoin Morgan also suffered a split webbing in the India vs England series, but is hopeful to be ready by the first match.

Complete Kolkata Knight Riders Squad

Batsman: Karun Nair, Nitish Rana, Shubman Gill, , Rahul Tripathi

WK: Sheldon Jackson, Dinesh Karthik

Fast Medium: Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier, Shivam Mavi, Vaibhav Arora

Spinners: Harbhajan Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy

All-Rounders: Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Pawan Negi, Venkatesh Iyer

Overseas: Eoin Morgan*, Pat Cummins, Ben Cutting, Lockie Ferguson, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Tim Seifert (WK), Shakib Al Hasan

Withdrawn: Rinku Singh (Injured)

Predicted KKR XI

  1. Shubman Gill, 2. Rahul Tripathi/Karun Nair, 3. Nitish Rana, 4. Shakib Al Hasan5. Dinesh Karthik (WK), 6. Eoin Morgan (C), 7. Andre Russell/ Ben Cutting8. Pat Cummins/ Lockie Ferguson, 9. Kamlesh Nagarkoti/Pawan Negi, 10.Varun Chakravarthy, 11. Prasidh Krishna

Watch Out For

  • Prasidh Krishna. An international cap can definitely raise confidence of a player. Will we see a Prasidh Krishna 2.0 in IPL 2021? With a lack of Indian fast bowlers in the squad, he has to carry the burden on his shoulders.
  • With their first three games in Chennai, don’t be surprised if KKR picks the experienced Harbhajan SinghShakib Al Hasan instead of pace duo of Pat Cummins-Lockie Ferguson. If Shakib can occupy a spot in the top order, then the finishing strength of KKR can finally showcase their abilities.
  • Can KKR manage to play both Russell and Ben Cutting, especially at Bangalore? With so many international stars in the line up, Ben Cutting might not make everybody’s foreign 4, but can hit the ball a long, long way.

Where Can Things Go Wrong For the Knight Riders?

  • Plain & Simple. Get the XI right, go to the qualifiers. Keep shuffling and create a ‘fluid middle order, ‘ and get stuck in the middle of the points table.
  • Maybe one way to go is to have different XIs per venue. Have a spin-filled lineup for Chennai (Pawan Negi, Varun, Kuldeep, Harbhajan, Shakib the options) and pack it with pace in Mumbai (Cummins, Lockie, Ben Cutting, Russell, Mavi, Nagarkoti, Prasidh Krishna, Sandeep Warrier the options).

Venues & Fixtures

Venues

Bangalore- 5, Ahmedabad – 4, Mumbai – 3, Chennai – 2

Fixtures

  • 11 April: SRH vs KKR (Chennai)
  • 13 April: KKR vs MI (Chennai)
  • 18 April: RCB vs KKR (Chennai)
  • 21 April: KKR vs CSK (Mumbai)
  • 24 April: RR vs KKR (Mumbai)
  • 26 April: PBKS vs KKR (Ahmedabad)
  • 29 April: DC vs KKR (Ahmedabad)
  • 3 May: KKR vs RCB (Ahmedabad)
  • 8 May: KKR vs DC (Ahmedabad)
  • 10 May: MI vs KKR (Bangalore)
  • 12 May: CSK vs KKR (Bangalore)
  • 15 May: KKR vs PBKS (Bangalore)
  • 18 May: KKR vs RR (Bangalore)
  • 21 May: KKR vs SRH (Bangalore)
  • 25 May: Qualifier 1 (Ahmedabad)
  • 26 May: Eliminator (Ahmedabad)
  • 28 May: Qualifier 2 (Ahmedabad)
  • 30 May: Final (Ahmedabad)

Prediction

The scheduling will benefit KKR this season. If they can capitalize on their first three games in Chennai, they will have 5 games at the Chinnaswamy at the backend. Opposition beware. Sixes galore with this lineup.

Prediction3rd
Most Runs Shubman Gill
Most WicketsPrasidh Krishna
Emerging PlayerKamlesh Nagarkoti to get a full season?
Surprise PackageHarbhajan Singh
X FactorShakib Al Hasan
Broken Cricket DreamDinesh Karthik, the finisher – Can he make India’s World Cup squad of 23? Or have we seen the last of DK in Indian clothing?
Kolkata Knight Riders Preview Predictions

What do you think of the Kolkata Knight Riders Preview? Your First XI? Will they make the IPL 2021 qualifiers?

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Copyright (2021: 4/3/2021)– @Nitesh Mathur, aka Nit-X – bcd@brokokencricketdreams.com

Top 7 Most Popular Cricket Videos

This week in our segment, Cricket ABCs -For New Future Fans, we will relive some of the most popular cricket videos in the last decade. The goal of this section is to try to explain the game of cricket to your new friends. And the best way to explain is by Videos.

Last time, we went over the rules of cricket. So now, let us learn cricket by watching some videos in different categories – fielding, bowling, and batting.

We are only using videos over the last 10 years for two reasons: (1) since the game has evolved over the years, and (2) enhanced video quality.

Below each video is a description and the number of views on YouTube (and still rising) for your reference. Here is my compilation of the most popular cricket videos.

Comment below on your favorite videos, and share this with new fans who are trying to learn cricket. Enjoy!

Videos

1. Best Catches – WC 2019 Edition

Starting where we left off in our last article over Best Fielders, we relive some of the best catches of the 2019 Cricket World Cup. There were diving catches, acrobatic boundary efforts, wicket-keeper excellence, and much more.

Views: 10 million

2. Best Yorkers – WC 2019 Edition

Moving on to bowling. One of the ways of getting batsmen out is by hitting the wickets, known as – ‘bowled.’ The most pleasing way for a bowled is for a toe-crushing ‘yorker.’ Enjoy this video on the Best Yorkers from the 2019 Cricket World Cup.

Views: 20 million

3. Mitchell Johnson – Bouncer Compilation

Continuing with bowling, we look at the ‘Bouncer.’ This is a tactic used by bowlers to intimidate the batsman, and in the process, driving a mistake out of them. Mitchell Johnson in 2013-14 became one of the best and scariest bowlers, when he single-handedly destroyed a generation of the English team.

Views: 1.7 million

4. Biggest Sixes – WC 2019 Edition

Moving to batting. While bowlers and fielders try to restrict the number of runs the batting team can score, the batting team tries to score as many as possible. The most runs that a team can get from one ball is from a six, when the ball goes out of the stadium without bouncing. Here are the biggest sixes from the 2019 cricket world cup.

Views: 4.6 million

5. Dinesh Karthik’s Day Out

This one is also batting excellence. One of the best viewings of a cricket match happens when a game is thriller. This video is on a T20 game, where after 4 hours, there was little to separate the two sides. Bangladesh were ahead with just about 15 minutes to go in the Final of the Nidahas Trophy, when Dinesh Karthik scripted a once-in-a-lifetime comeback.

Views: 98.9 million (Let us see if we can take to a 100 million views!)

6. Dinesh Karthik Part II

Oh and that was not the end. You thought 98 million is a lot. How about 169 million views and counting? Watch Dinesh Karthik seal the tournament final with a last ball six.

7. The Most Epic Ending of All

Speaking of last-ball thrillers, how about leave the best for last? World Cup Final Super Over tie. For all the non-cricketing fans, both the actual match and the overtime, called the Super Over, were tied.

Ian Smith, the commentator, summarized it best, “7 weeks of cricket, 48 games, and one ball.”

Views: 6.7 million

For this final, you can also watch the entire highlights here (33 million), the final over here (33 million), and just the Super Over here (7.8 million)

What are your favorite cricket memories? Comment below, share, and subscribe!

Sources: YouTube-2019 Cricket World Cup, ICC- What is Cricket?, YouTube-Cricket Australia, YouTube – Sri Lanka Cricket