Dinesh Karthik opens up on being MS Dhoni's understudy

Veteran India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has opened up on being replaced by former India captain MS Dhoni in the Indian side, stating that the Dhoni mania was so big that they had to select him. Dhoni is one of India’s best-ever captains and won the 2007 T20 World Cup and the 2011 ODI World Cup as captain as well.

Speaking on the RCB podcast, Karthik said he made his debut before Dhoni but Dhoni’s performances at an ODI series made everyone take notice of his abilities as well.

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“I made my debut before him. We went together on an India A tour and from there I got picked to the Indian team. I did so well that they picked me for the Indian team. From there, they went on another trip, there was a ODI tournament where he just blasted it there with boundaries and sixes. The world was still getting used to something like that, it was that sort of thing. People stood up and said there is nobody like him,” said Karthik.

He further said that it is all about taking your opportunities at the international level as well and MS Dhoni used it well. He made no mistake and became a regular face in Indian cricket. Moreover, it didn’t take much time for him to become a brand as well.

“They said he’s a special player. Obviously I came to the Indian team, but by then the Dhoni mania was so big that you had to pick him. He then replaced me in all formats and he did very well. At the end of the day, it is all about taking opportunities,” Dinesh Karthik added.

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“He was doing very well for himself. I knew that he had settled in all team. And he made no mistake. They sent him up an order, he got a hundred in ODI. He then went to Test cricket and scored 85. He kept brilliantly. Most importantly, he became a brand overnight. People were after him. He was huge right from the outset. I remained the under study but I was always on the lookout for opportunities,” concluded Dinesh Karthik.