While many cricket enthusiasts and pundits now see Dinesh Karthik as a successor of current wicketkeeping sensation MS Dhoni, the bond seemed as one of a teacher-student relationship on Wednesday night.
Dhoni and Karthik remained unbeaten on 18 and 64 respectively as India sealed the second ODI by six wickets to level the three-match series 1-1 at the MCA Stadium, Pune.
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In the first ODI in Mumbai, Karthik managed to score 37 runs.
The inclusion of 32-year-old Tamil Nadu keeper Karthik in the ODI and T20I squad was surprising amid Dhoni’s vital presence in the Playing XI and the Indian cricket team’s camp.
The move, however, can be deliberate towards the establishment of a new era. Indian skipper Virat Kohli has made it clear that there will be a lot of rotation in the squad for preparing the right combination for the 2019 World Cup.
Dhoni, 36, might be giving Karthik some classes on and off the field. It seemed evident on Wednesday when he was seen making Karthik understand something while going back to the pavilion after the win.