Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik, who had been struggling with the bat in all of RCB’s matches, has finally found his form again as he scored 30 runs off 18 balls, including four boundaries and a six, during the team’s six-wicket loss against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday, May 9.
Karthik’s Struggle with the Bat
Despite his performance, Karthik faced an unexpected situation during the match as he was observed retching several times on his way to the pavilion after being dismissed in the penultimate over of the first innings. Notably, he did not feature in the second innings, with Anuj Rawat taking over behind the stumps.
After the match, RCB head coach Sanjay Bangar shed light on Karthik’s fitness, stating that the veteran wicketkeeper-batter was potentially dehydrated and vomited on his way back to the pavilion. Bangar added that there is adequate time between games and that Karthik should be fit in time. He also praised Karthik, stating that he is a vital member of the franchise who has a significant role to play.
“During the course of the innings, Dinesh Karthik started feeling unwell, he was a bit dehydrated and on his way back he also vomited. There is enough gap for us, maybe three-four days, so with medicine, I think he should be fine. He is an important member for us and he has a big role to play,” Bangar said during the post-match press conference.
Young Indian Batters Need More Progression: RCB Coach
RCB’s coach also admitted that the team’s young Indian batters, such as Anuj Rawat and Shahbaz Ahmed, are not progressing at a sufficient rate. The 50-year-old stated that Mahipal Lomror has been someone who has taken advantage of his opportunities properly. He added that they must be patient with younger players, using the example of Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) budding sensation Rinku Singh.
“Our young Indian batters are not progressing at a very good rate. Lomror has been someone who has taken his chances well. But somebody like Anuj Rawat or Shahbaz Ahmed, whenever they have got those opportunities, unfortunately, they have not been able to capitalize on it. You have to be patient with younger players and you can perhaps try to relate it to the example of Rinku Singh,” Bangar added.
Dinesh Karthik, the experienced wicketkeeper-batter of RCB, is expected to recover soon after facing dehydration and vomiting during a match against MI. The team’s coach, Sanjay Bangar, reassured fans that Karthik should be fit in time for the next game. While RCB may have some concerns over the progression of its younger Indian batters, Bangar emphasized that the team needs to be patient and give them more opportunities to shine.
