Asia Cup 2022 LIVE – Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant – Team India sealed their progress into the Super 4s of the Asia Cup with a comfortable win over Hong Kong. While the Men in Blue continue their march for a record-breaking 8th title, questions still remain with a wicketkeeping conundrum on the top of the list. With intense competition for places, Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik are both vying for a solitary spot, adding to Rohit Sharma and head coach Rahul Dravid’s headache. Follow India at Asia Cup 2022.
Asia Cup 2022 LIVE: Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant? Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid face wicket-keeping conundrum ahead of Super 4s – Check what experts have to say
Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik are locked in a battle to seal the wicket-keeping spot in the Indian team in the ongoing Asia Cup and the upcoming T20 World Cup. For the game against Pakistan, Rohit Sharma went with the experience and finishing expertise of Karthik dropping Pant to the bench.
Pant did return for the match against Hong Kong in place of Hardik Pandya but did not face a single delivery. Karthik meanwhile also faced only 1 ball against Pakistan as the debate headed to square 1 as the men in Blue prepared for the Super 4 contests.
The Pant vs DK debate is one of the talking points on India’s road to the t20 world Cup and it is far from a straightforward choice between the two. While the former acts as a left-handed spin basher in the middle overs, Karthik is a death overs specialist tasked with scoring quick runs in the end.
Asia Cup 2022 LIVE: Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant? Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid face wicket-keeping conundrum ahead of Super 4s – Check what experts have to say
A lot of former cricketers have chimed in on the debate with many on the side of the extravagance of Rishabh Pant over the elegance and effectiveness of Dinesh Karthik. Former India opener and a teammate of Dinesh Karthik, Gautam Gambhir said that dropping Pant vs Pakistan was a surprising and ‘near-sighted’ move.
Gambhir said on commentary, “You need a left-handed in the middle order. India have a lot of right-handers there, which is one-dimensional. And he has done reasonably well. He can be someone who can open the game for you and he can be a floater as well. A bit surprising but I hope it is not long-term. I will still back Rishabh Pant ahead of Dinesh Karthik. It’s a massive surprise.”
Delhi Capitals coach and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting also showcased his shock and surprise at Pant’s eclusion. Ponting who has worked with the 25-year-old in the IPL for the last few years said, “I was really surprised. To be honest, there was some talk about it, once again on social media channels going into the game, which way would they go because I think they needed the sixth bowling option,” Ponting said on the ‘ICC Review’ show.
Former BCCI selector Saba Karim also spoke in favour of Pant and said that he added more value to the team than Karthik. Speaking to Sports 18 he said, “I was surprised because I do stick to my earlier stand of having Pant in the side in place of Dinesh Karthik because I always felt that we need to look ahead and even now I do believe that Rishabh Pant can add far more value, with due respect to Dinesh Karthik, than Dinesh Karthik.”
Asia Cup 2022 LIVE: Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant? Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid face wicket-keeping conundrum ahead of Super 4s – Check what experts have to say
While the overwhelming majority favoured Pant, there was an acknowledgement of Karthik’s finishing prowess. Renowned cricket broadcaster Harsha Bhogle suggested that while dropping Pant was a huge call, it suggested India’s preference to play DK as a finisher. He tweeted, “Leaving out Rishabh Pant is a huge call and a sign towards the favoured line-up at the T20 World Cup. It is also an acknowledgement of how India wants to play with DK as a power finisher.”
Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh also sided with DK suggesting that the veteran’s comeback has only seen him elevate his game. Singh told Aaj Tak, “Rishabh Pant in this shortest format, he has not been an accomplished player. However, if you look at Dinesh Karthik, his graph is only going upward. He has performed well. This is the right decision. In this format, in this form, there is no use keeping him on the bench. It’s time for Dinesh Karthik to play, he should play.”
While the experts have overwhelmingly favoured Pant, Dinesh Karthik has the support of captain Rohit Sharma and the team management and is likely to get more chances during the tournament. The BCCI will name their squad for the T20 World Cup on September 15, and performances like the ones against South Africa and West Indies will surely see him board the plane to Australia.
Asia Cup 2022 LIVE: Dinesh Karthik vs Rishabh Pant? Rohit Sharma, Rahul Dravid face wicket-keeping conundrum ahead of Super 4s – Check what experts have to say
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