On March 18, 2018, a senior player of the Indian cricket team made a remarkable comeback, proving his worth not only to the opposition but also to Indian fans. The match was the final of the Nidhas Trophy, where India faced Bangladesh. Bangladesh batted first and set a target of 166 runs. As the Indian batters began chasing, Captain Rohit Sharma scored 56 off 42 balls, but the strike rates of the other batters were not quite up to the mark considering the target.
By the 18th over, everyone thought India might lose the match, as they needed 34 runs off the last two overs. Then, the show began: Rubel bowled to Dinesh Karthik (DK), who hit a six on the first ball, followed by a four on the second ball, and another six on the third ball. DK smashed 22 runs in that over, easing the pressure on the Indian team. However, the tension was not completely alleviated, as India needed 5 runs off the last ball of the innings. Indian fans hoped for the ball to reach the boundary so they could have a super over, but DK delivered a spectacular six on the last ball, securing the victory.
In 2022, DK was picked by RCB (Royal Challengers Bangalore), marking a resurgence in his T20 career. Some of his impressive stats included 66 runs off 34 balls against Delhi Capitals, 37 runs off 17 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders, 52 runs off 28 balls against Chennai Super Kings, 45 runs off 18 balls against Mumbai Indians, and his highest score after his comeback, 85 runs off just 35 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad. He became a crucial support for RCB as a middle-order batsman and finisher.
In 2024, DK announced his retirement across all formats and later returned to RCB as a mentor and batting coach. This masterful coach assembled a very balanced team for RCB, showing his knack for making the impossible possible.
DK also had another role in cricket as a commentator. He served as a commentator for World Cups and the BGT series (Border-Gavaskar Trophy). This man has had an all-encompassing career in cricket, excelling as a batter, wicketkeeper, commentator, and coach. It is evident that he is poised to achieve many things in the future.
