India all-rounder Hardik Pandya is all praises for Dinesh Karthik, whose power-packed fifty helped India secure an 82-run victory over South Africa in the fourth T20 International in Rajkot on Friday. 

During a chat with Karthik, the video of which was uploaded by the BCCI on its website, Hardik recalled his past conversations with the veteran wicketkeeper-batsman. 

“I need to tell you this, genuinely I want to tell you this, you have given a lot of inspiration to many guys in their life. I remember the conversation you were having when you were not in the scheme of things, a lot of people counted you out,” Hardik told Karthik during the chat.

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India were struggling at 81/4 in the 13th over when Rishabh Pant was dismissed for 17. Karthik and Hardik then revived the Indian innings with a brisk partnership of 65 runs.

“I remember those conversations. You told me then that my goal is to play for India again and the goal is to play this World Cup, I am going to give it my everything, and seeing you achieve that is very inspirational.

“A lot of people are going to learn new things. Well done my brother, very proud of you,” Hardik added.

During the innings, Karthik hit nine fours and two sixes in his entertaining 55-run knock, Hardik made 46 off 31 balls to prop up the India innings.

When asked about how he feels coming back after 16 years, Dinesh Karthik said, “I feel old for a start, but apart from that it feels good to play the first ever T20 for India. Complete different generations. I read somewhere that out of both those teams 21 have retired out of the 22 have retired. So it feels good that I am alive and kicking and playing some cricket here.”