15 years after making his international debut, Dinesh Karthik finally got his ICC Cricket World Cup debut as India take on South Asian neighbours Bangladesh in their penultimate group match of the 2019 edition at Edgbaston, Birmingham
Dinesh Karthik finally gets an ICC Cricket World Cup game. First named in a World Cup squad way back in 2007, the wicketkeeper-batsman got the Cup bow as India play their penultimate group match against Bangladesh at Edgbaston, Birmingham on Tuesday.
Karthik made his ODI debut in September 2004, three months before MS Dhoni arrived in the international scene. And ever since, he's been in an out of the Indian team. He was even named in the 2007 World Cup squad, but failing to get a game as the Rahul Dravid-led India crashed out very early.
That's 12 years ago. And Karthik, all of 34, finally got his moment of reckoning on Tuesday. He was one of the two changes India made in their squad from their defeat to England. Karthik and pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar replaced Kuldeep Yadav and Kedar Jadhav.
But his career got a major fillip Last year, thanks to that last-ball six in the Nidahas T20 Trophy final against Bangladesh.
It means, India have three specialists wicket-keepers in Dhoni, Karthik and Rishabh Pant. KL Rahul has also kept wickets in the past.