IND vs NZ: “Definitely A Starter For The World Cup”: Dinesh Karthik On Shikhar Dhawan

Dinesh Karthik has endorsed temporary captain Shikhar Dhawan to compete in the 2023 World Cup in India ahead of the 3rd ODI match against New Zealand.

The senior Indian wicketkeeper believes that the southpaw could easily be replaced given Shubman Gill’s emergence as an opener, but the team management wants to keep him in the ODI lineup since that is the only format he is currently representing Team India in.

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Dhawan, who scored 25 runs in three games during the recently finished ODI series against South Africa, would be eager to perform with the bat against the Kiwis.

He has, however, scored 567 runs at an average of 40.50 in 16 ODIs this year. In Zimbabwe and the West Indies, the left-hander was India’s second-highest run scorer.

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Dinesh Karthik said: “From the kind of vibe that I get, he is definitely a starter for the World Cup; otherwise, they wouldn’t be having him around.”

“He’s obviously on the other side of 30. They could easily move on from him. Just the fact that they have him shows that they are very keen about having him in the ODI team and he’s been a gun player in ICC tournaments, somebody who rises to the occasion and he has played at a fair clip consistently.”

“Another chance to lead a team before the IPL”: Dinesh Karthik

“Most importantly, it will be for him another opportunity before the IPL to lead a team and obviously take the team forward and that will be something he’ll be really looking forward to,” Dinesh Karthik remarked on Cricbuzz.

Dhawan has served as the captain of Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad in the lucrative league, winning four of their 11 games. He will attempt to help PBKS win their first IPL title, which has eluded them for the previous 15 years.

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