'Wonder whether...' - Former SRH coach opines on RCB star Dinesh Karthik's future after IPL 2023

Royal Challengers Bangalore's (RCB) dream of lifting their maiden IPL title ended on Sunday evening (May 21) as the Faf du Plessis-led Bengaluru franchise bowed out of the 2023 edition with a loss in their last league stage game. Hosting the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT), in Bengaluru, RCB posted 197 for 5 riding on Virat Kohli's 61-ball 101* but failed to defend the score courtesy of Gujarat opener Shubman Gill's unbeaten 104. Hardik Pandya & Co. won by six wickets with five balls to spare.

While there were a lot of positives for RCB, Dinesh Karthik had a miserable season. The veteran keeper-batter, who returned to the Team India setup after his memorable run for the RCB franchise in IPL 2022, fell flat and ended with only 140 runs in 13 matches at an average of11.67 with a best of 30. After his disastrous run in IPL 2023, former Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) coach Tom Moody made a big statement on his IPL future.

"Dinesh Karthik had a very average tournament and you just wonder whether this is possibly his last tournament,” said Moody while speaking to ESPNcricinfo.

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Further, Moody backed Anuj Rawat -- the youngster who replaced Karthik behind the stumps with the latter used as an Impact Player towards the business end -- but feels he needs more to improve as a wicketkeeper.

End of the road for DK?

"What is still very obvious is this it seems to still be a gaping hole between No. 4 and No. 7. Rawat showed promise, but I think you need to spend some time with him behind the stumps,” Moody added.

Talking about Rawat, he scored91 runs at an average of 30.33 and a strike rate of 128.71 in IPL 2023. Meanwhile, Karthik ended with four ducks in the season; also topping the unwanted list of most ducks in IPL history (17).

Karthik was part of Team India T20I squad till the 2022 World Cup in Australia. Returning with a below-par run in the showpiece event Down Under, he was sidelined from the national setup and given his poor run in IPL 2023, his national comeback certainly seems out of the picture.

Karthik may have also played his last IPL season given RCB are set to back youngsters after another disappointing run in the ongoing edition. Only time will tell whether DK will retain his place in the RCB franchise or if he will be completely sidelined in the upcoming seasons.

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