Srinagar: Former India cricketer Dinesh Karthik has echoed words of Australia pacer Mitchell Starc who said India is the only Country right now that can field 2-3 teams at the same time.
After Rohit Sharma and co’s Champions Trophy 2025 win, Mitchell Starc had said that India is probably the only team in the world that can have a T20I, ODI and Test team play on the same day. Dinesh echoed similar words during a programe.
“We can say that since the IPL has become a part of Indian cricket’s fabric, they can now field two to three teams in international cricket at the same time and almost compete with each one of them,” said Karthik during the RCB Innovation Lab Indian Sports Summit Powered by Leaders at the Padukone Dravid Centre for Sports Excellence on Friday.
“Right now, India is in a very privileged place where they have such a good assortment of cricketers across skill sets,” he added.
“The IPL has brought out a winning mentality in all our players. With the influx of money and the financial benefits that a lot of the teams receive, and in turn the stakeholders, a lot of it has been put back in infrastructure. So, when infrastructure grows, eventually the quality of sport develops as well,” said Karthik.
“For me, the whole ideology of how Australia played at that time was a massive shock. They felt like a pack of wolves out to win every game. But with IPL, in my first year I got to spend time with Glenn McGrath in close quarters and practice with him, I got to know him better and became comfortable, that helped the confidence and mindset of competing with the best,” he added.
After India’s Champions Trophy 2025 win, Australia pacer Starc lauded the depth of talent available, saying India is probably the only nation in international cricket that can have three different teams in different formats, play on the same day and still be competitive.
“I think they are probably the only nation that can have a Test team, a one-day team, and a T20 team play on the same day against Australia in the Test, England in the one-dayer and South Africa in the T20I, and India will be competitive,” said Starc in a show on YouTube channel ‘FanaticsTV’.
“No other country can do that,” he added.
Meanwhile the IPL 2025 will get underway on March 22 with the opening match between RCB and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).