IND vs WI: "They Had Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, But Selectors Decided 'Keep Him For Last 4 Overs'': Ajay Jadeja Delivers Blunt Verdict On India Star

With a 68-run victory on Friday in the Twenty20 series opener at Trinidad, India extended its winning streak on the West Indies trip. The visiting side scored 190-6, with Rohit Sharma’s 44-ball 64 at the top of the innings serving as the team’s catalyst.

While Dinesh Karthik earned headlines for his explosive performance at the finish, the Indian captain established the groundwork for a respectable total. Karthik scored an unbeaten 41 off only 19 balls, and he and Ravichandran Ashwin put together an impregnable 52-run seventh-wicket partnership. 

Karthik won player of the match for his contribution. The 37-year-old may be fulfilling all requirements since rejoining the national team, but his main goal is to stand out in the World T20 in Australia. Karthik, who made his India debut back in 2004, has improved his chances of finishing in the top three in the championship race. 

Ajay Jadeja Impressed By Dinesh Karthik’s Perseverance

Ajay Jadeja, a former player, spoke about Karthik’s position in the current lineup and why India opted to use the seasoned keeper for the last four overs. Despite not being a believer of giving players specific responsibilities, Jadeja praised Karthik’s tenacity, saying the fire is still burning strong for the seasoned batsman. 

“Interesting this is that he came even before MS Dhoni and hung on for so many years. The most impressive thing about him is his perseverance. Many people leave cricket at this age. But he worked on his game and thought, ‘What is it that I can do the best’, and decided to play the last four overs,” Jadeja said on FanCode. 

“The Indian team has got so much talent for every position. They had players like Suryakumar, Rohit, Virat, Hardik, and Pant, but the selectors kept Karthik for the last four overs.

Kudos to Indian cricket for this thinking but I feel you don’t assign roles to your players. The game won’t be running according to your terms.” 

“But I have immense respect for Karthik and his love for the game. At 37, doing commentary is easy for him but he instead chose to follow his passion,” he added. 

Dinesh Karthik Enjoying Current Team Indian Setup

Karthik was a member of the Indian teams that won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013 and the first T20 World Cup in 2007. He reaffirmed his goal to win the World T20 this year. 

“These are small tick-boxes that we need to have at this point. But the ultimate goal is to do well in the T20 World Cup,” Karthik told Ashwin on BCCI TV. 

“I think this is a very different team and I am enjoying this set-up. There is a great sort of calmness that is around the captain and the coach, a lot of credit must go to them.” 

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