Karthik can play finisher's role for India in T20 World Cup: Gavaskar

The former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper has produced effective knocks of 32, 14, 44, 7, 34 and 66 with an astonishing strike-rate of 209.57. By remaining unbeaten in five of the six innings, he is averaging 197.00.

Mumbai: Impressed with the way Dinesh Karthik is making his bat talk in this year's IPL, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar reckons that the veteran keeper-batter can play the role of a finisher for the Indian team in the T20 World Cup later this year. Karthik has been hitting the ball fluently for his new franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore this season. The former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper has produced effective knocks of 32, 14, 44, 7, 34 and 66 with an astonishing strike-rate of 209.57. By remaining unbeaten in five of the six innings, he is averaging 197.00.

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"He said he wants to be a part of the Indian Team for the T20 World Cup. So what I am saying is don't look at his age, just look at what he's producing," Gavaskar told Star Sports. Karthik's best this season came (66 not out from 34 balls) against Delhi Capitals in their last outing when he took on the experienced Mustafizur Rahman and Indian left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed with his fantastic strokeplay to power them to a match-winning 189/5.

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RCB won the match by 16 runs and Karthik was adjudged Player-of-the-match. "He's just changing the complexion of the game with his performance. He's doing it for his team. He's doing the job that you can expect him to do at number 6 or 7 at the (T20) World Cup (in October-November)," Gavaskar added. A veteran of 26 Tests, 94 ODIs and 32 T20Is, the 36-year-old last played for India in the heartbreaking semifinal loss to New Zealand in the ICC World Cup in 2019.

PTI