The BCCI selection committee on Tuesday named Dinesh Karthik as the replacement for Wriddhiman Saha for the third and final Test against South Africa. Saha suffered an upper left hamstring tendon injury during a training session on Thursday. Thus, Parthiv Patel replaced the injured keeper in the ongoing (2nd) Test.

Kartik will join the team before the third Test. Karthik who has played 23 Tests for India last appeared in the five-day game for the team back in 2010 against Bangladesh. The 32-year-old has 51 catches and five stumpings to his credit.

Team India lost the first Test in Cape Town and now struggling to defeat the Proteas in the second Test in Centurion. Virat during the toss on day-1 of 2nd Test said that Saha picked a hamstring niggle during the practice and was replaced by the backup wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel.

Don’t know why but team India is currently struggling with their team selections in the on-going Test series against South Africa. In the first and second Test, they went without their vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane and instead picked Rohit Sharma in the playing XI on the basis of his current form.

Whereas, Bhuvneshwar Kumar who had picked 6 wickets and faced more deliveries than other Indian batsmen was dropped from the side and Ishant Sharma was preferred instead in the 2nd Test. KL Rahul was brought back to the side for the left-handed Shikhar Dhawan who failed to impress in the two outings in Cape Town.

Parthiv looked good with the bat in the first innings during his knock of 19 but was done by a brilliant delivery from SA’s debutant Lungi Ngidi becoming his maiden Test wicket. Even behind the stumps, Parthiv spilled out a number of opportunities. On day-3, he didn’t go for the catch which was pretty much in his reach.

However, Karthik, on the other hand, has been in sublime form in India’s interstate T20 championship, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy where he hit 3 consecutive half-centuries for Tami Nadu. Given Patel’s struggle with the gloves, the right-hander may get to feature on the Test side after 7 long years.

He is also a part of the ODI squad which will play the 6-match ODI series against South Africa following the Tests. It will be a great chance for Dinesh Karthik if he gets to play the third Test which starts on 24th January. Ahead of the ODI series and will help the 32-year-old get used to the fast and bouncy conditions in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Twitterati has made fun of Dinesh Karthik who is going to join Murali Karthik on the field soon.

Twitter Reactions:

Murali vijay and dinesh karthik on same dressing room or team.they are not in talking term i think. Team management, what are you smoking? #SAvIND

— Yogi Adityanath (@PMYogiji) January 16, 2018

Murali Vijay’s reaction when he got to know that Dinesh Karthik replaced Saha in the team. #AbHogaAsliDangal #INDvSA pic.twitter.com/DUdfYYi3Nz

— THIRD MAN🏏 (@imSanath7) January 16, 2018

Dinesh Karthik and Murali Vijay in same dressing room for 3rd test 🙄 pic.twitter.com/Bu1W33ejI5

— SAMPATH (@trueindiangrit) January 16, 2018

Dinesh Karthik is being flown in to South Africa to drop catches in the third test against South Africa.

— …. (@ynakg1) January 16, 2018

Why is Mahatma Gandhi like Dinesh Karthik’s father? Because he is father of Dineshan!

— S Ramachandran (@indiarama) January 16, 2018

Murli Vijay & Dinesh Karthik may play together in next Test match! #INDvSA
😂#CB pic.twitter.com/WGl11MR8eh

— Asraf49q (@Asraf89747876) January 16, 2018

RT if u want to see Murli Vijay and Dinesh Karthik batting together. 😅😂#IndvSA #SAvIND

— Tabrez (@its_tabrez_4u) January 16, 2018

Parthiv Patel v Dinesh Karthik, longest running saga in Indian Cricket. They were competing to be India’s No.1 Test keeper two years before Dhoni debuted and they’re still at it three years after Dhoni retired #SAvIND #dkvspp

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) January 16, 2018

Dinesh Karthik & Murli Vijay sharing the dressing room!😅😅 https://t.co/BksIWiT4Jz

— Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) January 16, 2018

If Dinesh Karthik features in the 3rd Test match, it will be the first time in 57 years where India had three different wicketkeepers in a Test series. #SAvIND

— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) January 16, 2018

If Karthik is keeping and Vijay is at first slip, he will definitely go for the keeper’s catch because he has that habit of catching Karthik’s “things”.

— Abhishek (@Sajjanlaunda) January 16, 2018

 

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