APPRECIATING DINESH KARTHIK: THE COMMENTATOR

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S. SOORAJ | 22nd June 2021

As the rain continues to play spoilsport in the coveted World Test Championship Final and the Indian team struggling to get a grip of the game, there is one Indian player who is certainly making the headlines. And that’s off the pitch.

Yes, it is Dinesh Karthik who is making his debut in the commentary box to cover the WTC final and as things stand, he’s a real fan favourite.

A couple of weeks ago, DK announced through Twitter that he will be traveling to England, along with the legendary Indian batsman Sunil Gavaskar as one of the voices behind the mic for the finals. The Indian wicket-keeper batsman has always been a talked, adored for the quirky comments he makes on the pitch when donning the KKR trip.

Especially when his fellow Tamil Nadu representative, Varun Chakravarthy is bowling. DK’s penchant for speaking his native tongue, Tamil shines through the stump mic. Fans of the gentleman’s game from the Southern parts of India always get giddy, overhearing an unfiltered Karthik.

This time around, he’s taken a similar route but only suited and booted in the commentary box.

Dinesh Karthik’s wit coupled with his brilliantly insightful takes always makes him the perfect balance between humour and informativeness. One such instance which broke the internet was when he took the mick out of former English captain Nasser Hussain.

Nasser Hussain touched on how Rohit Sharma was a great puller of the short ball and used his feet well against spin. To which, DK pulled his leg by saying, “Yes, exactly the opposite of you.” and the whole commentary box burst into laughter, including Hussain.

Kudos to Nasser Hussain for not taking himself as well as the comment too seriously.

Moving on from the funny side of things, the 2007 T20 World Cup champion’s wealth of experience in the modern game has also enabled him to provide a very realistic insight into how the game’s intricacies work in today’s day and age.

When Rohit Sharma tried to play a ball off Tim Southee that swung away from his bat, DK suggested Sharma to try leaving those balls or risk ending up in the pavilion soon. In the next over, Kyle Jamieson bowled a similar delivery and Hitman edged the ball, with an arduous walk awaiting time.

Karthik also admitted that due to the fact that he shares a great rapport with all the current Indian players in the Test side, he has the license to poke fun at them, as and when appropriate in the commentary box. This element of familiarity just makes him the perfect bridge between the fans and their demi-gods, making Karthik seem immensely human.

And unlike the standard tweet from a social media company that represents a high-profile athlete and public figure, DK interacts with his audience via social media, especially providing them with regular updates of the treacherous weather in Southampton. You just cannot hate ‘Weatherman DK’.

Relatable. Insightful. Charismatic. Dapper. DK.