CHENNAI: With two limited-over titles and a semifinal finish in Ranji Trophy, a couple of players from Tamil Nadu came into the national spotlight and a few were expected to shine in the IPL, but that was not to be.
However, S Sharath, chairman of the state selection committee, called for patience and believes that slowly TN players will reap the benefits of a fruitful season.
Dinesh Karthik, who had a brilliant season and played a key role in Tamil Nadu’s triumphs in the Deodhar Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, was overlooked initially for the Champions Trophy but got the nod later due to an injury to Manish Pandey.
“It’s unfortunate that Dinesh missed out initially. Ultimately, he got his chance due to his performances in all formats. But I firmly believe that he should have been in the original squad. Although competition for places is tough in the Indian team, he deserves a place as he has been in splendid form in the domestic circuit and has done fairly well in the IPL (Gujarat Lions) too,” said Sharath.
How much Dinesh has improved as a player in the last season? “He has always been a consistent player for Tamil Nadu over the years and has a knack of getting runs in big games. Now he is combining his experience with his game to produce results. He has also improved his shot selection and is keen to stay till the end,” observed Sharath.
The former TN middle-order bat believes that there are many players who can make a mark at the international level. “Abhinav Mukund got to play for India again. He has it in him to play at the top level consistently. Vijay Shankar is a prospect for the future. B Aparajith has played for India A and I expect Kaushik Gandhi, B Indrajith, Aswin Crist and K Vignesh to be a part of the India A team,” opined Sharath.
Speaking of Vijay, the 44-year-old was impressed with the all-rounder’s performances despite the limited opportunities he got in the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad.
“Vijay can be the future all-rounder of Indian cricket. If he has one more good domestic season, I’m sure he will be a top contender for the all-rounder slot for India,” he complimented.
ashok.v@newindianexpress.com