Profile
MS Dhoni's gain, it can be debated, was Dinesh Karthik's loss. As a wicket-keeper batsman looking to be India's reply to Gilchrist, Karthik had all the ingredients to be a reliable hand in both departments. With the willow, his technical nuance was evident. Proof of his underlined batting prowess is found in the fact that, even after Dhoni cementing his place as skipper-keeper, Karthik has been recalled as a specialist batsman alone. His batting ability stood the test of challenging pitches in England in 2007 where, as an opener, he recorded fifties in each of the three Tests to aid India in a historic series victory. Beyond 2007, Dhoni's rapid success soon sidelined Karthik.
But for his lapse in concentration, the Madras-born 'keeper would have made greater waves. As time progressed, selectors looked to hone Karthik's batting abilities alone and fit him in the interim as a specialist batsman, aside from being Dhoni's stand-in behind the sticks. Still, his role was limited to playing second fiddle and continuous stop-starts stunted his progress on a personal front, while, along with Parthiv Patel, he became proof of India's embarrassment of riches in talent behind the stumps.
Fast Facts
- Out of the 13 instances (8 Tests, 5 ODIs) in which Dinesh Karthik has scored more than 50 runs in Tests and ODIs, India have lost only 1 (Test vs. South Africa in 2007) of those matches.
- Karthik and Dhoni are the only two Indian keepers to get out twice in the 90s in Tests.
Statistics
| Matches | Innings | Runs | NO | Avg. | SR | 100's | 50's | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Test | 23 | 37 | 1000 | 1 | 27.77 | 50 | 1 | 7 |
| ODI | 52 | 44 | 1008 | 7 | 27.24 | 74.50 | 0 | 5 |
| T20 | 9 | 8 | 100 | 2 | 16.66 | 113.63 | 0 | 0 |
| IPL | 42 | 35 | 711 | 8 | 26.33 | 126.73 | 0 | 3 |
| CLT20 | 4 | 4 | 92 | 0 | 23 | 121.05 | 0 | 1 |
Career
Span:- Test:
- 2004-2010
- ODI:
- 2004-2010
- T20:
- 2006-2010
- IPL:
- 2008-2010
- CLT20:
- 2009-2009
- Test
- Debut:
- India Vs Australia at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai (Bombay) - Nov 03, 2004
- Last played:
- India Vs Bangladesh at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium, Chittagong - Jan 17, 2010
- ODI
- Debut:
- India Vs England at Lord's, London - Sep 05, 2004
- Last played:
- India Vs Sri Lanka at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Rangiri - Aug 28, 2010
- T20
- Debut:
- India Vs South Africa at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg - Dec 01, 2006
- Last played:
- India Vs Sri Lanka at Beausejour Cricket Ground, St Lucia - May 11, 2010
- IPL
- Debut:
- Delhi Daredevils Vs Rajasthan Royals at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi - Apr 19, 2008
- Last played:
- Delhi Daredevils Vs Deccan Chargers at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi - Apr 18, 2010
- CLT20
- Debut:
- Delhi Daredevils Vs Victorian Bushrangers at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi - Oct 09, 2009
- Last played:
- Delhi Daredevils Vs Cape Cobras at Feroz Shah Kotla, Delhi - Oct 19, 2009