IND vs SA: Karthik’s ability as a finisher in the No. 6 position seems to be working in his favour. Pant, however, brings his left-handed batting prowess to the table
The Indian T20I team combination has seen a distinct trait in the last few matches. The veteran Dinesh Karthik is being preferred more over Rishabh Pant in the wicketkeeper-batter’s role. Karthik’s ability as a finisher in the No. 6 position seems to be working in his favour. Pant, however, brings his left-handed batting prowess to the table – a quality which is important for Team India, especially after Ravindra Jadeja was ruled out of the T20 World Cup in Australia.
India are South Africa in a three-T20I series starting Wednesday. It will be their last series ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup. Ex-BCCI selector Saba Karim recently spoke about Dinesh Karthik starting over Rishabh Pant at number six.
“Well, there is always a possibility, but I think the Indian team management have decided to go ahead with Dinesh Karthik which is not a bad move. They feel that they need more of his kind of a player at number six who can do the finisher’s role in a much better manner because Rishabh Pant in that kind of particular role has not been tried before and places above that have kind of been sorted,” Saba Karim said on Sports 18.
“So, I do have my doubts that Rishabh Pant will get a look in because the Indian team has kind of found the right combination.”
India start their T20 World Cup campaign with a game against Pakistan in Melbourne on October 23.
India squad for ICC T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma (Captain), KL Rahul (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dinesh Karthik (wicket-keeper), Hardik Pandya, R. Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh.
Standby players – Mohd. Shami, Shreyas Iyer, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar.
