The Chennai Super Kings, it ought to be said, are peaking just at the right time. As the tournament is perhaps heading towards its most exciting or shall we say, its decisive juncture, the southern franchise too is producing performances that would cause a fresh wave of excitement among their fans. Isn’t it? Something has changed for the better and come full circle of the IPL’s much loved team. Their recent wins are a shiny example of that. Recently, they thrashed the Mumbai Indians at Mumbai and then, as seen the last evening, gave Delhi a run for their money at New Delhi. They made a lightwork of the struggling outfit. But the big question that beckons an answer is whether only the big guns at Chennai are responsible for what could be called a turnaround for the team currently placed 6th on the rankings?

The young 20-year-old tremendously confident batter Kartik Sharma too, must be held responsible for what can be called a turnaround of sorts for the team much loved and revered across the IPL folklore.

For someone who himself has hardly any experience in this format of the premium franchise based competition, the right hander who operates in the middle order has conducted himself in a manner that would befit someone far more experienced.

A good player of spin and someone who plays well back and forth, whether it’s the heavy handed strikes or shots or the key partnership building, Kartik Sharma, already a half century scorer in the IPL, has looked quite the part.  

He recently opened up on the kind of impact that MS Dhoni has had on him 

In the aftermath of the game against the Delhi Capitals which his Chennai side won with great ease, Kartik Sharma shared that he capitalises upon any given opportunity of interacting with the great Mahendra Singh Dhoni, which mostly, happens on the ground and during the time of training.

The Dhoni impact  He also shared an important fact and it’s that when he was out of the team and perhaps not at his confident best, then it was Sanju Samson who backed him and believed in his abilities.

So on the one hand, the 20 year old is learning by observing how the best in the business, such as Dhoni operate during training (someone with whom he’s discussed at length subjects like batting and wicket keeping), he is also being backed by a proven success at this level in the form of Sanju Samson.

Kartik, who struck an IPL best of unbeaten 54 against Mumbai, ought to grow from strength to strength now.