Dinesh Karthik was recalled into the Indian T20I side after a phenomenal IPL season. The Royal Challengers Bangalore finisher scored 330 runs in 16 games at a whopping strike rate of 183.33 and average of 55.00. He was expected to play a similar role in national colours when India took on South Africa for a five-match series. However, the 37-year-old has not been able to contribute much. 

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India have lost both games against the Proteas and trail 0-2 in the series. One more loss and Rishabh Pant will lose his first assignment as skipper. 

Karthik, after being denied strike on the last ball by Hardik Pandya in the first T20I, was sent at No 7 in the second match. He came after bowling all-rounder Axar Patel. The team’s decision was criticised by fans and experts. 

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“Sometimes there are these labels like ‘finisher’. And when you talk about a finisher you think he will come to bat only after the 15th over. He can’t come in the 12th or the 13th over. And we have seen these happen in the IPL as well. A lot of teams have only kept their big hitters for the last 4-5 overs,” India legend Sunil Gavaskar said. 

India were struggling to get going and were 112/6 when Axar Patel got out in the 17th over as it was mainly due to the veteran Karthik’s pyrotechnics while batting at No 7 that they could get post a respectable 148/6.

DK slammed two sixes in the last over and remained unbeaten on 30 runs off 21 balls. He along with Harshal Patel (12 off 9) ensured that the Indian bowlers had something to fight with. 

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“When actually, if they had been sent earlier, because they have the ability to work things around, they don’t necessarily have to hit sixes from the time they come in. The fact that when they get to the batting area and work the ball around, they get the feel of the wicket and they can bat accordingly in the last 4-5 overs,” Gavaskar added.

However, Indian batter Shreyas Iyer explained the call. He said that Patel was sent to rotate the strike. 

“It’s something we had strategised earlier as well. We had seven overs left when Axar went in, and he’s someone who can take the singles and keep rotating the strike. Also, at that point in time, we didn’t require someone to go in and start hitting from ball one. DK can obviously do that, but he has been a really good asset for us after 15 overs, where he can go in and start hitting straightaway,” Iyer said at the post-match media interaction on Sunday.

Promoted at No 6, Axar scored 10 off 11 balls before being cleaned up by Anrich Nortje.