the former India Wicketkeeper-batsman Saba Karim feels the team will have to decide between keeping Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik in the playing XI.
With the Asia Cup starting on August 27 in the UAE, the tournament offers an opportunity for India to sort out their playing XI ahead of the men’s T20. World Cup in Australia in October-November. Since his return to T20I cricket in June, Karthik has been doing the necessary finishing work and effectively sealing the finisher spot in the Indian team.
Read also: Manjrekar refuses to answer ‘difficult’ question on Indian team’s selection for T20 World Cup
A 27-ball 55 against South Africa on a tough pitch in Rajkot and an unbeaten 19-ball 41 against West Indies in Trinidad are just a few examples of Karthik’s final role that has benefited India in recent times. Huh.
Pant, on the other hand, has had mixed runs apart from being tried as an opener twice against England. Since the T20I series against South Africa in June, where he was the stand-in captain, Pant’s highest score has been 44 in the fourth T20I against the West Indies at Lauderhill, United States.
“I think to get the balance right, India have done well with five bowlers and Hardik Pandya as 6 bowling options. So do you want to break that kind of combination and put Dinesh Karthik in second at number seven? Want to bring in the bat? That means you go with Hardik Pandya, the fifth bowler, who is expected to have 4 overs, so that’s another big call from the Indian team management.”
“So if that is the case then it may create some issues for the Indian team management. From what I have seen from Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, I think he likes five regular bowlers and Hardik Pandya as his six bowling option. If that is the case then you need to decide between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik,” Karim said on the show ‘Sports Over the Top’ on Sports18.
Read also: How partition led to fierce cricket rivalry between India and Pakistan
Karim said the decision to keep either Pant or Karthik in the XI will help India reach number four in T20 Internationals. “Yeah, you need to sort this out as quickly as possible. But you know, to fix the No. 4 slot or No. four position for a specific player, we need to get the team composition and balance right.”
“When I say this, I mean they have to choose between Dinesh Karthik or Rishabh Pant. Once you pick one of these players, it will be easy to sort out Suryakumar Yadav at number four.
Karim further picked Suryakumar, Pandya and Pant as his ideal batsmen at four, five and six, while KL Rahul is his choice to bat along with Rohit Sharma. Rahul has been out of competitive cricketing action since his inclusion in the IPL 2022 Eliminator in Kolkata on May 25. His team, the debutant Lucknow Super Giants, lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore by 14 runs at the Eden Gardens.
Rahul was then named as the captain for the five-match T20I series at home against South Africa in June. But a right groin injury on the eve of the first match in New Delhi ruled him out of the series. Sports hernia surgery in Germany meant that Rahul was ruled out of the England tour as well.
He was set to make a comeback during India’s T20I series against the West Indies, but a positive Covid-19 test before the tour meant he was not included in the tour to the Caribbean and ODIs against Zimbabwe. But with the T20 World Cup in Australia approaching, Rahul is now fully fit to make a comeback for India in the shortest format of the game.
“KL Rahul being the vice-captain, I see him as an opener along with Rohit Sharma. I see Virat Kohli No. 3 and Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4. But you know that, 4,5,6 position should be very flexible because in a T20 format, you look at 4,5,6 who can finish the game for you and as a power hitter if required Can also double, can also stabilize the innings. ,
“The three batsmen who are on 4,5,6, my choice would be Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant. And depending on the number of overs you have left, you can switch them around. But KL Rahul should bat with Rohit Sharma in my opinion,” concluded Karim.
get the latest cricket news, Schedule And cricket live score Here