Former India batsman Virender Sehwag has called for the inclusion of Rishabh Pant in India’s playing eleven in place of Dinesh Karthik after the latter’s twin failures in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2022.
Against Pakistan, Karthik scored 1 run in 2 balls and failed to finish the game, putting India in a tricky situation at the end. He didn’t get to bat against the Netherlands. And versus South Africa, Karthik scored 6 runs in 15 balls, although he was involved in a 52-run stand with Suryakumar Yadav that stopped the wickets flow.
Sehwag said that he’d been suggesting Rishabh Pant play instead of Dinesh Karthik, citing Pant’s recent experience and success on the last Test tour to Australia, while Dinesh Karthik made his comeback on the back of IPL performances, the former opener pointed out.
“Ye toh pehle din se hona chahiye tha. Vo vahan Test cricket khele hain, ODI khele hain aur perform kiya hai. Dinesh Karthik kab Australia me khele hain? Ye koi Bangalore ki wicket nahi hai. Main aaj bhi ye hi keh raha tha ki Hooda ki jagah Pant ko khilaate, unko vahan khelne ka anubhav hai. Unhone Gabba ka ghamand toda hai Australia ka,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Should India drop Dinesh Karthik? Sehwag concurs
Translation: “This should have been the case from the first day. Pant has played Tests and ODIs there and has performed. When did Dinesh Karthik last play in Australia? This isn’t a Bangalore wicket. I said this even today that Pant should’ve been in the team instead of Hooda, Pant has the experience of playing here. He broke Gabba’s pride in his legendary knock).”
Dinesh Karthik got an injury while fielding and Rishabh Pant came to do the wicket-keeping duties in the death overs of South Africa’s innings.
“I can only give them suggestion, it’s the management’s decision. If Karthik is fit, they will go back to him again. But according to me, Rishabh Pant should’ve been in the XI from the start,” added Sehwag.
A couple of days ago, former India captain Kapil Dev had also echoed a similar opinion, explaining that Pant, apart from being a better keeper than Karthik, the youngster will also bring in the left-handedness which India lacked against South Africa in the absence of Axar Patel.
“I want to say that since we have Rishabh Pant, now is the time India need him. It felt as if Dinesh Karthik would get the job done, but factoring in the wicketkeeping as well, I feel that if India have that left-hander option in the team, this team would look complete,” Kapil Dev had said.
