'He reads the game really well'- Dale Steyn bats for Dinesh Karthik's inclusion in T20 World Cup squad

Former South African pacer Dale Steyn has said that Dinesh Karthik must be included in India’s T20 World Cup squad owing to his consistent form with the bat. Karthik scored a blistering 27-ball 55 in the fourth T20I against South Africa at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot that guided the Men in Blue to an emphatic 82-run win.

The veteran wicketkeeper-batter was one of the members of the Indian squad that had played their first-ever T20I back in December 2006. He was adjudged the Player of the Match in that encounter. More importantly, the explosive knock against the Proteas in the last game was the Tamil Nadu cricketer’s maiden half-century in this format.

Dinesh Karthik has been in phenomenal form: Dale Steyn

“DK has been in phenomenal form. This year, he is getting better and better. He has the wicketkeeper mentality, he reads the game really well, he knows and understands what bowlers are trying to do and he backs it up with very good skill. He reverse sweeps, sweeps, laps. They are shots being played by somebody who reads and understands the game, understands what the bowler is going to bowl when before he runs up to bowl,” Steyn said on ESPNcricinfo’s ‘T20 Time Out’.

“DK has just come out every single time and shown what a class player he is. If you want to win the World Cup, you want to pick a guy who is in form. There are guys who team will pick on reputation, but DK is in such fantastic form, if he continues this form, he is going to be one of the first names written down on the plane when India tours for the World Cup later this year,” he added.

Meanwhile, the ongoing home series also marked Karthik’s return to the India team after nearly a three-year hiatus since the 2019 World Cup semifinal against New Zealand at Manchester. Karthik has also been selected for the upcoming two T20Is against Ireland, starting next week. With the series leveled at 2-2, India and South Africa will be locking horns in the series-deciding fifth T20I at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 19.