IPL 2022: Dinesh Karthik dares to dream, but will selectors oblige?

Finisher's astounding form for RCB has led to calls for his inclusion in Team India's T20 World Cup squad for Australia later this yearJust a few months ago when India were playing a Test series in England, Dinesh Karthik was commentating for the official broadcasters. Following his success at the com box, when TOI asked him whether he would follow it up next season as well, Karthik said: "I will, if it doesn't interfere with my cricket. My dream is to still play for India." At that point, that dream seemed a little far-fetched. But following his exploits with the bat in this IPL for Royal Challengers Bangalore, a spot in the T20 World Cup squad in Australia in October-November doesn't look like a distant dream anymore. Karthik has been in outstanding form in this IPL, batting at a strike-rate of 200 coming late down the order and taking RCB to the cusp of qualification. Such has been his influence as a finisher that RCB skipper Faf du Plessis said on Sunday after his team's win against Sunrisers Hyderabad that he was planning to retire himself out just to let Karthik in. "If DK keeps hitting sixes like that, everyone wants to have him in as long as possible. In fact I wanted to get out or retire myself out to let him have a go," Du Plessis said of Karthik's 8-ball 30.

Sources close to Karthik told TOI that the right-hander has put in a lot of effort and hard work going into IPL this season. "He was just determined to tell himself he was far away from retirement. From playing practice matches for India Cements two weeks before the IPL to working on his running and strength training specific to finishing, it was just an all-out effort on his part," the source said. That brings us to the crucial question of whether these