Just in case if you were wondering how far away Dinesh Karthik has been from the T20 arcade in the span of the last 4 months, the answer was framed in a royal innings at the DY Patil T20 and handed over in gilt-edged letters to the critiques.
Currently deployed as a commentator in the ongoing Indo-Australia Test series, Karthik have been plying his trade behind the mic during the day time. But then if someone can actually pick up the willow in the gap between the second and the third Test, showcasing his hard-hitting flair, it had to be one and only, Dinesh Karthik.
It was a day for the batters with the cherry hardly being spotted inside the bounds as the willow-men wanted to have some fun. The proceedings started with Mehal Wadhera and Tilak Varma sending the bowlers and fielders on a futile leather hunt as they scored 71 and 58 respectively for Reliance 1.
Following suit in brisk manner, CAG’s Prabhsimran Singh lost his chain of reservation back in the dressing room as he peppered the Income Tax bowlers for a staggering 161 runs off just 55 balls, smashing 17 sixes en route to his reign of terror.
However, the showstopper for the day was undoubtedly RCB’s Finisher Supreme as he decided to try his hand for a brief while and it was a display to savour. The cherry had no intentions of taking the long path to the ropes as it would be frequently lofted in the air, sending the fielders for an interminable game of fetch.
Karthik’s unbeaten 75 off just 38 balls secured a convincing victory for DY Patil Group B as RBI was left in tatters after the Indian wicket-keeper batter was simply relentless in his pursuit of that pre-season form ahead of the approaching IPL.
Throwing some light on how Karthik placed his innings, he walked out to bat at a crucial juncture as DY Patil Group B was neck-deep in a soup of their own making, stuttering at 66 for the loss of 3. Weathering the initial storm and slowly letting the jitters take off from his shoulders, the beast in him paid a visit and the rest they say is sheer carnage where a trail of bodies hung around in its wake.
