Dinesh Karthik feels that Royal Challengers Bengaluru and its fans played a vital role in him making his comeback in the Indian team ahead of the 2022 T20 World Cup. Karthik had a memorable IPL 2022 where he produced a series of eye-catching performances with the bat for RCB, acing the role of finisher to rack up 330 runs at an average of 55 and a strike-rate of 183.33.
Following his stupendous show, Karthik was called up for a T20I series against South Africa and then made the cut in India’s 15-man squad for the world cup which was held in Australia.
“RCB has been extraordinary. I think RCB basically means the fans. There is nothing else that I can think of when I think of RCB. Because, yes, I think Virat Kohli is a very, very big name and it’s a very large part of RCB. But I think the fans are even bigger than that,” Karthik said.
“Literally, because the amount of love I received – I sometimes feel the 2022 World cup, when I did get picked, it was because of RCB’s fans that I got picked. There was such a huge wave of people saying DK has to be there. I’ll never forget it,” he added.
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Karthik, who recently played the final IPL match of his career as RCB lost to Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator, says he will forever be grateful to the fans for the role they played in his India comeback.
“To make a comeback at the age of 37, when I hadn’t played international cricket for quite a long time before that, I really feel RCB and RCB fans have played a very, very important part in that small episode of me going back and playing for the country and representing India in the World cup. And I’ll always be thankful for them,” he said.
Karthik further touched upon the fact despite hailing from cricket rival Tamil Nadu, he was wholeheartedly accepted by the Bengaluru fans as one of their own.
“…there’s always a massive rivalry (between Karnataka and Bengaluru in cricket). And the fact that I’ve still played for Bengaluru and fans of Bengaluru have embraced me like they would any other player from their own state is something that I think I will be very, very proud of,” he said.
Karthik is satisfied with his cricket career.
“The fact that I’ve been able to play for a couple of decades. I’m very happy. A lot of good things in my life have come from the victories that we have achieved as a team and some low moments as well. But how we have just hung together. Be it the 2007 T20 World cup or be it winning the first title for Tamil Nadu in T20,” he said.
I’ve been part of teams which is phenomenal. 2013 champions Trophy under (MS) Dhoni. What a tournament that was. And it’s phenomenal. It’s been a very, very good journey. One that has taught me and literally molded me to be the person that I am. So there’s been great memories,” he added.
Karthik’s career will also be remembered for the last-ball six he hit in the final of the Nidahas Trophy in 2018 against Bangladesh.
“I am sure when you think of me as a cricketer, the first thing that most of people will remember will be the Nidahas Trophy. That was a very important match in my life, an important tournament as well. And then my great journey with KKR as a captain and doing well for them and Mumbai Indians winning my first IPL title, there have been plenty,” he said.
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