Cricket News: Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin-Performer over the years

Dinesh Karthik and Ravichandran Ashwin have been part of the Indian team for a long time, but in the T20 format, they have been unsung heroes.

India's most experienced spinner

Ravichandra Ashwin has proved himself at every stage, platform and tournament. But after Yuzvendra Chahal's success, in no time, Ashwin became the second choice for the team. 

In IPL 2022, the bowler showed his all-rounder skills by batting up the order and became one of the prominent reasons for the Rajasthan Royals reaching the finals.

"He has now shown that he can do it in the ultra-short format and be in the Indian team for the World Cup in Australia. He's showing with the ball and with the bat that 'Hello! Pick me,” said Sunil Gavaskar.

Ravichandran Ashwin's experience in international games is unmatchable to any current possible alternative. 

He has 63 wickets in his 52 T20I games played. Ashwin's notable performance of 4/11 against Australia in the 2014 T20 World Cup and his match-winning spell of 4/8 against Sri Lanka in 2016 were few of his many match-winning performances. His ability to play unorthodox shots to get quick runs for the team adds to his worth.

He is celebrated in other formats, especially in tests, taking 442 wickets in 86 matches. Still, his contribution with bat and ball has always stayed a little overshadowed in shorter formats.

India's deadliest finisher

37-year-old Dinesh Karthik has been part of team India for a long time. He had never been able to make himself an indispensable component of the team before he cleared his intentions for the upcoming T20 World Cup.

Former India player and national selector Saba Karim said, "When Dinesh Karthik used to bat up the order a couple of years back, we were all wondering why he wasn't able to perform, despite the potential."

"He has a clear role now and that is why his performances have improved significantly…. It doesn't matter which position he is batting at, his job is to only play three or four overs. He has done his preparation according to this plan, and that's why he has been successful," he added.

It's not like Dinesh Karthik started his finishing style now after this IPL only. He has a lot of glorious innings where he sometimes performed as an aggressive finisher and sometimes as a calm anchor guiding innings.

His potential was never hidden, so he played in many important series and tournaments. But probably because he never could focus his mind on his role, he never got the respect and stayed an unsung silent hero. 

This T20 World Cup is a perfect chance for both these players to write a beautiful chapter in their careers and help India win their second T20 World Cup title.