Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim feels that the side has to decide between keeping either Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik in the playing eleven. With the Asia Cup starting from August 27 in the UAE, the tournament presents a chance for India to sort out their playing eleven compositions ahead of the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia in October-November. Since his comeback to T20I cricket in June, Karthik has been bringing out the required finishing acts and effectively sealing the finisher spot in the Indian team. A 27-ball 55 on a tough pitch against South Africa at Rajko and an unbeaten 19-ball 41 on a tricky pitch against West Indies at Trinidad have been some examples of Karthik’s finishing role benefitting India in recent times. On the other hand, Pant has had a mixed run 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 skipper, Pant’s highest score has been 44 in the fourth T20I against West Indies at Lauderhill, USA.
I feel that to get the balance right, India has done well with five bowlers plus Hardik Pandya as 6 bowling options. So would you like to break that kind of a combination and get in another bat at number 7 that is Dinesh Karthik at number 7? That means that you go in with Hardik Pandya the fifth bowler who is expected to bowl 4 overs, so that is another big call from the Indian team management.” So then if so that that may pose some issues for the Indian team management. Whatever I have seen from Rohit Sharma’s captaincy, I think he prefers to have five regular bowlers plus Hardik Pandya as their six bowling options. If that is the case then you need to decide between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik,” said Karim on the ‘Sports Over The Top’ show on Sports18.
