India vs South Africa: Dinesh Karthik elated after India comeback - The fire in the belly has kept me going

India vs South Africa: Dinesh Karthik said he is honoured and elated to be back with the senior national team and said he takes pride in his ability to stay relevant in the shortest format of the game.

Comeback man Dinesh Karthik said the hunger to keep fighting hard for his spot in the Indian team and the desire to not give up after getting dropped is a 'shining light' of his career. Karthik successfully returned to the Indian T20I side for the first time since 2019 for the ongoing 5-match series against South Africa.

Dinesh Karthik, who made his India debut as early as 2004, has not been able to have a consistent run at the highest level. The rise of MS Dhoni as an indispensable member across all formats made it difficult for Karthik to cement a spot in the senior national team but the Tamil Nadu wicketkeeper-batter has always kept himself relevant and fought through personal setbacks with so much composure and maturity.

Karthik was written off after he was dropped from the side following India's World Cup exit in 2019. The wicketkeeper-batter even took up commentary during India's tour of England in 2021 but the veteran batter always had the fire in his belly burning bright.

Karthik put behind a disappointing IPL 2021 campaign to excel in the finisher's role with Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2022. He hit 330 runs at a staggering strike rate of over 180 as he played a key role in RCB's run to the play-offs.

"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.

"I have been dropped so many times. I have always wanted to come back into 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.

"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.