Adam Gilchrist, along with MS Dhoni, is hailed as one of the greatest keeper-batters of all time, and while the likes of Mohammad Rizwan, Quinton de Kock, and Rishabh Pant are rocking today with their skills, but they still have a long way to go before matching the footsteps of Gilchrist and Dhoni.
Meanwhile, the Indian team management has a tough call to make as Dinesh Karthik and Rishabh Pant, both have been named in India’s T20 World Cup squad. However, in all probability, only one of DK or Pant can make it to the playing XI. While a full-fledged debate has been going on, with several cricket experts and cricketers coming up with their opinions on the matter.
Now, weighing in on the topic, Gilchrist feels that no matter what the situation is, he wants Pant to feature in the playing XI. He said:
“The dare of Rishabh Pant and the courage for him, the way in which he takes on bowling attacks. I think he’s got to be a must in that Indian line-up. They can play together, but I think Rishabh Pant has definitely got to be in there,”
Rishabh Pant was dropped for India’s opening game of the Asia Cup 2022 against Pakistan with DK getting the nod ahead of him. In the next game against Hong Kong, with Hardik Pandya resting, both DK and Pant got a chance to play. Pant then featured in the game against Sri Lanka before he was replaced by DK against Pakistan during the Super-4 clash. While he returned back in the game against Afghanistan, but he wasn’t included in the first T20I match against Australia at home, with the team management going for Dinesh Karthik.
Though, India has the option of including both the players but it is still a risk. Speaking about the same, Gilchrist said: “It will be interesting to see if they can both play in the same team. I think they can. What they bring to a team…the versatility of Dinesh Karthik, he can play at the top of the order, he can, as he has done more so later in his career, be in the middle and late overs to finish. He has a really nice touch game,”
