IND vs PAK LIVE – India Playing XI – Pant or Karthik? Captain Rohit Sharma till Saturday evening hasn’t decided that who to pick between Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik in side. As things stand, the team management is yet to take a call on who will don the wicketkeeping gloves. Pant gives India the left-handed batsman option while Karthik has made a name for himself for being the death-overs specialist. Follow Asia Cup 2022 LIVE Updates & India vs Pakistan LIVE Updates with InsideSport.IN.
The fact that Top 4 of Indian Playing XI are automatic choices. Rohit Sharma & KL Rahul will open while Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav will bat at No 3 & No 4. But Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya are two another automatic choices considering their all-round skills. That leaves the only option to tinker in the wicketkeeper.
“We haven’t decided on the Playing XI. tomorrow’s match will be played on the same pitch as today’s (SL vs AFG). We want to see how the match goes and depending on that, we will decide our XI. The talk I had with the curator, the toss would not be a factor. There hasn’t been much dew. But we will see how it goes today in Sri Lanka vs Afghanistan match and then take a call,“ Rohit Sharma said.
The #AsiaCup2022 is a fresh tournament and a new start. We are here for a purpose and we will focus on what we want to achieve from this tournament. Everyone is very excited to be here: #TeamIndia captain @ImRo45 ahead of #INDvPAK. pic.twitter.com/HxfO5ziSJ5
— BCCI (@BCCI) August 27, 2022
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IND vs PAK LIVE: Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik, Captain & Coach still UNDECIDED who to pick in XI for MEGA MATCH vs Pakistan, Follow Asia Cup 2022 LIVE Updates
In all three formats, Rishabh Pant has been India’s No 1 keeper by a mile. But the emergence of Dinesh Karthik 2.0 has changed the dynamics. Pant has struggled in T20s.
IND vs PAK LIVE: Why it has come to Rishabh Pant vs Dinesh Karthik?
- India’s Top 4 batters have their spot cemented.
- KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma will open while Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav will bat at No 3 & 4.
- The No 5 is up for debate as fitting in Dinesh Karthik would mean, not having a balanced side.
- The reason is Rishabh Pant being the only left-hander at the Top 5, makes the combination work against a good bowling attack.
- For Karthik to be in, India will have to either drop an extra spinner or a batter.
- Both Hardik Pandya and Ravindra Jadeja are automatic choices because of their all-round abilities.
- Karthik started off brilliantly against South Africa, scoring 92 runs off 55 balls with a strike rate of 158.62.
- While he did not get many opportunities in England, against West Indies, he managed 66 off 50 balls with a strike rate of 132.00 in 4 innings.
- The downward trajectory may not help him get the nod ahead of someone like Ravindra Jadeja or Rishabh Pant.
- Furthermore, he hasn’t looked convincing against spin attack on slower surfaces like it was in West Indies.
- He struggled in the middle-overs against spin like Jadeja did.
- In many occasions, Jadeja or Axar Patel were promoted ahead of him when the chips were down. And both did a better job than Karthik in the middle-overs.
- Hence, it is likely that India may prefer an extra all-rounder in Deepak Hooda or an extra spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.
IND vs PAK LIVE: Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik, Captain & Coach still UNDECIDED who to pick in XI for MEGA MATCH vs Pakistan, Follow Asia Cup 2022 LIVE Updates
As for Rishabh Pant, he is one of the only two left-handers in the squad. That makes him a valuable asset. After two flop shows in T20Is against South Africa and England, he did well in West Indies. With 115 runs in 4 matches at a strike rate of 141.97 and average of 38.33, Pant showed promise and return to form in T20Is.
That could be enough for him to be one of the first-choice players in the Playing XI. As for Karthik, he may get an opportunity against the Hong Kong or in Super 4 stage. But it is unlikely that he would get the nod against Pakistan.
India Playing XI vs Pakistan:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- KL Rahul
- Virat Kohli
- Suryakumar Yadav
- Rishabh Pant (WK)
- Hardik Pandya
- Dinesh Karthik/ Deepak Hooda
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Yuzvendra Chahal
India Squad Asia Cup: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (VC), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik (WK), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Ravi Bishnoi, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan
Backups: Shreyas iyer, Deepak Chahar, Axar Patel
IND vs PAK LIVE: Rishabh Pant or Dinesh Karthik, Captain & Coach still UNDECIDED who to pick in XI for MEGA MATCH vs Pakistan, Follow Asia Cup 2022 LIVE Updates
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