Rahul Dravid - players.bio

Watch: Shah Rukh Khan Stars In Wasim Jaffer's Hilarious Tweet On Dinesh Karthik's India Comeback

Dinesh Karthik is set to return to the Indian team for the first time since 2019 when they take on South Africa in the first of five T20 Internationals later on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Karthik was picked for the squad on the back of an incredible Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 season, as he aced the role of a finisher for Royal Challengers Bangalore. Former India batter Wasim Jaffer, who has developed a reputation for his witty social media posts, took to Twitter to share a clip from the 1995 film 'Karan Arjun' in his hilarious take on Karthik's national team comeback.

Team India On Cusp Of Massive T20 World Record In First T20I vs South Africa

The five-match T20I series against South Africa, starting on Thursday, presents a great opportunity for the Indian cricket team management to experiment with a young line-up ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. With many seniors like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma being rested to keep them fresh for the England Tour in July, the Indian squad for the series against South Africa bears a fresh look. Players like Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda will be hoping to make an impact. Even comeback man Dinesh Karthik would aim to make the most of this chance.

India vs South Africa 2022: With T20 World Cup in mind, India begin auditions for select spots

The Men in Blue are on a 12-match winning streak and come Thursday, they can create an all-time record of winning 13 T20I games in a row. However, for head coach Rahul Dravid, the primary aim over the next 10 days will be to narrow down on a core group of players going into the World Cup in October. And he couldn't have hoped for a better opposition than a gritty South African side which has seen its stock rise recently. With likes of skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli rested for the series, stand in captain KL Rahul is a certainty at the top but it would be a tough choice between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan as his opening partner.

Coach Rahul Dravid "Not Really Paying Attention" As India Stand On Cusp Of This Massive World Record

Indian cricket team's first T20I against South Africa on Thursday presents a massive opportunity for the side to set a new world record. India are currently tied with Afghanistan and Romania for the longest T20I winning streak of 12 matches. India's winning run started in the 2021 T20 World Cup where they beat Afghanistan, Scotland and Namibia in successive matches. Then, under Rohit Sharma, India clinched three consecutive series against New Zealand, West Indies and Sri Lanka - all with 3-0 margin. Now, if India can defeat South Africa in the first T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, it will be the side's 13th win on the trot - a new world record.

Watch: Ahead Of South Africa T20Is, Deepak Hooda Undergoes Short-Ball Practice

With several seniors being rested for the Indian cricket team's T20I series against South Africa, the batting line-up will bear a fresh look in the five-match contest. It will be interesting to see what the top-order looks like in the absence of the likes of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. India head coach Rahul Dravid on Tuesday gave his take on the batting line-up in the absence of the seniors, saying: "We know our top three's quality. They are top class. There will be a slightly different top three in this series but what we are looking for (in general) is good positive start and playing according to the situation."

"Point Of Difference": Rahul Dravid On Why Dinesh Karthik Will Be In Focus In South Africa T20Is

Dinesh Karthik has made a comeback to the Indian cricket team on the back of some stupendous show in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Playing for Royal Challengers Bangalore, the 37-year-old wicketkeeper-batter aced the finisher's role scoring 330 runs in 16 matches at a strike-rate of 183.33. Courtesy that performance, the veteran has made a comeback into the squad. That last time he played for India was at the 2019 ICC World Cup. As Team India looks to get its house in order ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia in October, the T20I series against South Africa will be a massive opportunity for Karthik.

India vs South Africa: Team India seeks consistency amid rotation

With Team India's big guns being rested often, coach Rahul Dravid doesn't want to cast his net too wide in run-up to Twenty20 World CupNEW DELHI: In seven months as Team India's head coach, Rahul Dravid has made it clear that he prefers consistency in selection. Though the IPL has thrown up a wide range of options and probable combinations, Dravid is not one to fall into the trap and make knee jerk changes to his plans. He has already made it clear that he is against casting his net too wide in the run-up to the T20 World Cup later in the year. During the IPL, he has been quietly observing the talent coming through and the performances of his first-choice players. Back in charge of the Indian team barely a week after the IPL, Dravid is holding his ground and is against making sweeping statements on players. After all, he has been synonymous with the word "process" for a long time. Under the scorching sun at Ferozeshah Kotla on Tuesday, with the bulk of India's marquee players being rested for the T20I series against South Africa, Dravid is steadfastly sticking to this "process".

India vs South Africa: Hardik Pandya Puts In Hard Yards As India Complete Second Day Of Training

It was all-rounder Hardik Pandya who put in the hard yards as India wrapped up its second day of training on Tuesday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Soon after wrapping up the press conference, head coach Rahul Dravid went to the middle to oversee the proceedings and out came Hardik to train and acclimatise himself with conditions ahead of the five-match T20I series against South Africa, beginning Thursday.

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Rahul Dravid Sport News

Watch: Shah Rukh Khan Stars In Wasim Jaffer's Hilarious Tweet On Dinesh Karthik's India Comeback

Team India On Cusp Of Massive T20 World Record In First T20I vs South Africa

India vs South Africa 2022: With T20 World Cup in mind, India begin auditions for select spots

Coach Rahul Dravid "Not Really Paying Attention" As India Stand On Cusp Of This Massive World Record

Watch: Ahead Of South Africa T20Is, Deepak Hooda Undergoes Short-Ball Practice

"Point Of Difference": Rahul Dravid On Why Dinesh Karthik Will Be In Focus In South Africa T20Is

India vs South Africa: Team India seeks consistency amid rotation

India vs South Africa: Hardik Pandya Puts In Hard Yards As India Complete Second Day Of Training