IPL 2024 RCB vs KKR | Karthik: Finesse in comm box and finishing on field

Karthik, when he started as a commentator during England's tour of India for a limited-over series in 2021 did it to show that active players can be commentators

Dinesh Karthik, during his first commentary stint in The Hundred, a domestic competition in England, became an instant hit with his dressing style which inlcuded classy printed shirts. However, post that, he wasn't really able to excell in the field of play as much as he would have liked to.

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In the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, things have certainly been different and nothing else summarised it better than a post X (formerly Twitter) by veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle.

"Wo, @DineshKarthik, no one else slips between the commentary box and the middle like you do!," wrote Bhogle on his X handle as Kartthik won Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) a fantastic match against Punjab Kings on March 25. 

Bhogle, who was part of the commentary panel alongside Karthik in the recently concluded India-England Tes series, was one among many of his co-commentators impressed by Karthik's finishing abilities in the first two games of the IPL 2024. 

Karthik the finisher

Karthik in his two innings against Chennai Sper Kings and Punjab Kings has shown that he is the finisher to beat in this IPL. While against CSK he hit 38 off 26 and partnered Anuj Rawat to a 95-run stand, he played a match-winning knock of 28 off just 10 balls to hear the chants of DK…DK!! reverberated across the Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

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Dinesh Karthik. Photo: Sportzpics

It is not the number of runs, but rather how he scored that has garnered praise for Karthik as a finisher. In the Chepauk game against the Super Kings, he was required to settle down and make a partnership with Rawat and tee off later on. This is exactly what Karthik did. 

However, in the match against Punjab at Chinnaswamy, there was no time to settle down and Karthik hit 29 off just 1o balls, once again playing according to the situation and reminding everyone of the IPL he had in 2020. 

Karthik's finesse in the commentary box 

Just a few weeks ago before causing mayhem in the shortest format, Karthik was dissecting the longest format of the game by pouring out all the intelligence he has acquired over the years. Be it the Ben Duckket run-out or Jack Crawley's catch by young wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel, the breaking down of the event by Karthik was a wicket-keeping class in itself. 

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It was refreshing for the Indian audience which had not heard Karthik too much before in Indian conditions. His banters with the likes of Graeme Swann in the comm box were a delight for the viewers during the engrossing Test series. 

Breaking the stereotype Karthik way 

Karthik, 38, when he started as a commentator during England's tour of India for a limited-over series in 2021 for Sky Sports, did it with a purpose. Revealing that after the World Test Championships final in 2021, the Tamil Nadu player had said, "There are a lot of other sports like basketball and football where current players come on air when they are not playing,"

"It is only in India I think it is considered like that (post-retirement option). I want to break that stereotype to an extent and I am happy to do this when I am not playing," Karthik had told PTI. 

The way he is bossing the field of play with the bat and acing the job behind the microphone away from it, he has surely broken that stereotype. 

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