‘He is somebody you can trust’- Dinesh Karthik backed star Indian batter’s inclusion in the 2023 World Cup

Dinesh Karthik: (Image Source: Twitter)

India’s wicket-keeper batter, Dinesh Karthik reckons that Shikhar Dhawan will be a part of the Indian team for the upcoming 2023 World Cup. Dhawan is, currently, leading the Indian team in the ongoing ODI series against New Zealand in the absence of Rohit Sharma. 

However, it is also true that the veteran batter is on the wrong side of the 30s and is already out of the scheme of things from the other two formats. With several talented youngsters coming through the ranks, Dhawan could lose his place in the World Cup squad but Karthik thinks otherwise. 

“From the kind of vibe I get, he is definitely a starter for the World Cup. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be having him around. He is on the other side of his 30s and they could have easily moved on from him. Just the fact that they have him shows that they are very keen about having him in the ODI team,” Karthik said on Cricbuzz.

Shikhar Dhawan’s numbers in World Cup encounters are nothing short of sensational. The southpaw has always stepped up on big occasions and isn’t someone who could crumble under pressure. Karthik, too, feels the same and, backed him to do well in the perennial tournament. 

“He has been a gun player in ICC tournaments, somebody who rises to the occasion and he plays at a fair clip consistently. Even in the 2019 World Cup, he really did well before getting injured. So, he is somebody you can bank on unless something drastically changes in terms of his form completely falling off," he said.

“He is somebody you can trust as an opener as he knows his game plan. He uses the crease really well, he has got everything to play for, and most importantly, it would be another chance for him to lead a team before the IPL and that is something he will be looking forward to,” he added.