For Dinesh Karthik, some of the biggest moments of his cricket career were shaped by the trust shown in him by former India captain Virat Kohli. While many Indian fans remember the 2017 Champions Trophy for India’s painful loss to Pakistan in the final, DK remembers the tournament for a completely personal reason. It was the event that marked his return to the Indian team after a long gap.
Dinesh Karthik had played his last ODI for India in 2014 and spent the next few years trying to regain his place in the national side. During the IPL 2017, an unexpected opportunity arrived when Manish Pandey, who had originally been selected in India’s Champions Trophy squad, suffered a left-side strain and was ruled out of the tournament in the UK. Virat Kohli then supported DK’s inclusion as the replacement player.
The decision brought Dinesh Karthik back into the Indian dressing room after almost three years away from the setup. Even though he did not play a single match during the tournament, the experienced wicketkeeper-batter has always valued the gesture. Speaking during a podcast, DK recalled how Virat Kohli personally praised his performances and recommended him for the squad in front of team support staff, including Basu sir. He admitted that receiving such public backing from a player like Kohli meant a lot to him during a difficult stage of his career.
Their friendship and professional bond grew stronger over time, especially in 2022 when both the players shared the dressing room at Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL. That same year, Dinesh Karthik earned a place in India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in Australia after producing impressive performances as a finisher.
Virat Kohli once again openly supported him and spoke positively about his comeback journey in the media. Dinesh Karthik said that hearing such appreciation from someone of Kohli’s stature made his return even more special and emotional.
Recently, DK also discussed how Virat reacted when he received an offer to move into coaching. According to Karthik, Kohli encouraged him to accept the opportunity and expressed confidence in his ability to succeed as a coach. He added that although they have very different personalities, there is deep mutual respect between them.
The relationship between the two families has also become very close over the years. Dinesh Karthik shared that whenever he visits England, he spends time with Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma and their family. He also spoke about the joy of seeing his son spend time with Kohli’s daughter Vamika during IPL gatherings and personal meetups, calling those moments extremely special to him.
