ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Will Dinesh Karthik be en route to Australia? Sunil Gavaskar comments

Veteran Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik might be at the twilight phase of his career. However, he has shown no signs of slowing down. The 37-year-old has been sensational since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), he nailed it as a finisher. Following his recall, he carried the same form into the international circuit during the just-concluded Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) against South Africa. He is expected to play with the same momentum in Ireland from Sunday. Meanwhile, the question remains if he will be going to Australia for the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup, as legendary former Indian Little Master Sunil Gavaskar has spoken on the same.

As for Karthik's performance in IPL 2022, he scored the fourth-most runs for RCB, collecting 330 runs in 16 matches at an average of 55.00 and a strike rate of 183.33, including a half-century with a top score of an unbeaten 66. Against SA, he was fifth, scoring 92 in four at 46.00 and 158.62, including a 50, with a maximum score of 55.

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Speaking on Karthik's T20WC chances, Gavaskar told Star Sports, "When we [he and Karthik] went for the World Test Championship, we were having lunch, breakfast, dinner together. And, he was telling me about his ambition to come back in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup."

"He [Karthik] wasn't in line for the one in UAE [T20WC last year], but this time around, he looks very well to be part of the flight that takes to Melbourne. He told me how he was creating situations in his mind and practising according to them. So, it was not just mindless practice. It was reflective practice. It was practice according to what the situation might be when he's out there," added Gavaskar.

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Further explaining, Gavaskar continued, "Because if you're batting at six and seven, you're not going to get 20 overs, not 18 overs. You're going to get 5-6, maybe if the wickets fall nine overs to bat, but in those nine, how to go about it is what he was practising. He [Karthik] was also training, so he left the hotel gym because it wasn't good enough."

"He [Kartik] wanted to do some special training. He went and got himself enrolled in a club. That tells you about the dedication and keenness to return to the Indian team. And, the way he's playing now, that'll only make you admire. You've put in the hard yards, and it's the reward," concluded Gavaskar.