Realization strikes Dinesh Karthik as he admits excluding MS Dhoni from his all-time India XI: 'Forgot the key player'

India's former wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik stirred up controversy when he shared his all-time India playing XI on Independence Day last week. To the surprise and disappointment of many, he did not include the legendary MS Dhoni in the lineup. Dhoni, considered one of India's greatest cricketers and former captain, was notably left out, causing a stir among fans and critics alike.

Many couldn't fathom how Karthik, a former wicketkeeper-batter himself, could exclude Dhoni from such a prestigious lineup. In response to the uproar, Karthik took to the latest episode of his show on Cricbuzz to address the “mistake.” He explained that the omission was not intentional but rather a genuine mistake on his part.

Karthik admitted that while compiling his all-time XI, he had inadvertently forgotten to include a wicketkeeper, which led to Dhoni being left out of the side. The former India player acknowledged the error and expressed his regret, understanding how much Dhoni means to fans and the significance of his presence in any all-time India XI.

“Bhai log. Bada galti hogaya (Guys I made a big mistake.) Genuinely it was a mistake,” Karthik said.

"I realized only when the episode came out. There were so many things happening that when I put this 11, I forgot the wicketkeeper. Luckily Rahul Dravid was there and everybody thought I was going with a part-time wicketkeeper. Bu genuinely I didn't think Rahul Dravid as a wicketkeeper,. Can you believe being a wicketkeeper, I forgot to have a wicketkeeper? It is a blunder," said Karthik.

Dravid, known for occasionally donning the gloves in limited-overs cricket, was not intended to fulfill that role in Karthik's lineup. Instead, Karthik had selected Dravid at No. 3 in the batting order, preferring to pair current India captain Rohit Sharma with Virender Sehwag as openers.

This decision pushed Sachin Tendulkar down to the No. 4 spot, followed by Virat Kohli at No. 5. The batting order, filled with some of India's most iconic players, still seemed incomplete without the inclusion of Dhoni, especially given his contributions as a finisher and captain.

"And for me, let's be clear. Thala Dhoni is a lock in any format, not only in India. I feel he is one of the greatest cricketers to have ever played the game. If I had to redo that team, one change I would do is, Thala Dhoni in at 7. And he will be the captain of any Indian team that is there," said Karthik further.

Karthik's XI

Rounding out his XI, Karthik chose two all-rounders in Yuvraj Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, all of whom brought balance and versatility to the side. The bowling attack was formidable, featuring the legendary leg-spinner Anil Kumble alongside fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Zaheer Khan.

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