Holding Dinesh Karthik back in Nidahas final paid off, reveals Rohit Sharma

Hero of the final Dinesh Karthik

India's cricketers, the darlings of the nation, insist they do not read newspapers or watch television channels that report their activities. In a departure from modern tradition, Dinesh Karthik took to Twitter to tell his fans: "Have a read guys".

Winds of change
The article he referred to was an Indian Express story that detailed how Abhishek Nayar, the Mumbai and India cricketer, had revived Karthik's career when he was at his lowest. Of course, there was technical coaching, but more important were the life lessons. Assigned a small room and the most basic facilities, Karthik was dragged out of his comfort zone. Even as he begged to spend a night in a plush hotel room, Dinesh Karthik was committed to the exercise.

Similarly, he was an angry 32-year-old when Rohit Sharma, the captain, chose to send Vijay Shankar, who hadn't held a bat in an international game, ahead of him, with some eight overs left in what should have been a comfortable chase in the Nidahas Trophy final.

India skipper Rohit Sharma with the Nidahas Trophy

Shankar flailed and missed, making things more difficult. But when Karthik walked out with 34 needed from 12 , he still believed that he could take India home. There was no margin for error, and he needed none.

Hours before the game began, Karthik had Tweeted: "Last day of the tour, wish we finish it off in style" Little did he know that he would be the one finishing it off, and in style that can't be bettered in a T20 match. Rohit Sharma explained his move to hold Karthik back and mentioned that the Tamil Nadu man was unhappy. "When I got out, I went and sat in the dugout and Dinesh was quite upset that he didn't bat at No. 6. But I told him: 'I want you to bat and finish off the game for us, because whatever skill you have, it will be required in the last three or four overs'. That is the only reason he was not batting at No. 6 in the 13th over when I got out. He was upset with that, but he'll be quite happy now how he finished off the game," said Rohit.

Mustafizur factor
"I thought Mustafizur would bowl the 18th and the 20th over, and we wanted an experienced guy to handle him. We knew he would come out with his off cutters and Dinesh probably would have been a better choice at that point. I knew his ability with the bat. He's got some different types of skill shots that would probably be required at that point at the death overs. That was the only reason we held him back. I can proudly say it paid off," added the skipper.

For Karthik, who has fought to get chances in the playing 11, this innings should count as insurance, and give him some time in India's limited-overs teams.

View Gallery: These photos of Dinesh Karthik's wife Dipika Pallikal will blow your mind

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