Dinesh Karthik: The urge to never giving up is my life's 'shining light'

Dinesh Karthik, who recently made a comeback to the Indian team, has said the hunger to keep fighting hard for his spot in the team and the desire to never give up despite being dropped so many times has been a "shining light" of his career.

After the home T20I series against Australia in 2019 and the Cricket World Cup in the UK later that year, Karthik was not picked for the next three years. After a fine run with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, Karthik returned to Team India for the ongoing five-match T20I series.

In the absence of senior players such as Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant has been handed the captaincy role. After three games, India are 1-2 down, with two more games remaining.

"Very happy, very proud... it's an incredible atmosphere and team to be part of. For the last three years now, from the outside, I have been looking in and I know what a special feeling it is to be part of this team. And to be part of this team, I am very happy and very grateful and am enjoying every second that I am here," Karthik told BCCI on the eve of the 4th T20I in Rajkot on Thursday.

"I have been dropped so many times. I have always wanted to come back to the Indian team. Wherever I have played.. whether it's domestic cricket, the IPL, the fire in the belly and the urge to come back here and wear the national colours and represent India has been something I dream of every day and that has something that has kept me going consistently in the last decade or so," added Karthik in the same interview.

"I have always found ways to enhance my game and I have always had people, special people, around me to help me in that journey and they have been part of this journey. The fact that I have always wanted to come back to the national team and do well has been the shining light, so to say, in my life for a very very long time now," the wicketkeeper-batsman added.

I've seen the T20 format grow in the last 15 years, says Dinesh Karthik

Karthik has been a part of India's set up since 2004. Notably, Karthik is the only one from the current Indian side who had played the side's first-ever T20I in South Africa in 2006. In fact, Karthik was the Player of the Match in the game in Johannesburg as the Men in Blue won by six wickets.

"It's almost a decade and a half.. so a lot of things change. But it's a great feeling to know that you have played the first T20I and then to be selected to come back and play against South Africa is a lovely feeling. I think cricket has changed from what it was 15 years ago.. especially this format (T20). I have been part of it and seen it grow," said Karthik.

Karthik has also been included in India's squad for the two-match T20I series in Ireland. The series is a preparation for the boys ahead of their six-match limited-overs series against England.

India and Ireland are set to face off in two T20Is on June 26 and 28 in Dublin. Next month, India are scheduled to play three T20Is and as many ODIs in England.